U.S. patent application number 17/313770 was filed with the patent office on 2021-08-19 for tobacco product compositions and delivery system.
This patent application is currently assigned to HZAT, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is HZAT, LLC. Invention is credited to Thomas O'Connell.
Application Number | 20210251288 17/313770 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005568118 |
Filed Date | 2021-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210251288 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Connell; Thomas |
August 19, 2021 |
TOBACCO PRODUCT COMPOSITIONS AND DELIVERY SYSTEM
Abstract
In an illustrative embodiment, a heat-not-burn tobacco
aerosolization device aerosolizes a high viscosity, wet tobacco
product at a very low temperature and reduces harmful and
potentially harmful carcinogen (HPHC) emissions by six times or
more relative to conventional heat-not-burn products while also
providing substantially improved taste and user experience.
Embodiments exemplified herein provide a compelling and healthier
substitute for cigarette smoking that avoids the HPHC emissions of
conventional heat-not-burn products while also avoiding the
increased risk of addiction and short-term health effects reported
in connection with conventional vaping devices.
Inventors: |
O'Connell; Thomas; (Sunny
Isles Beach, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HZAT, LLC |
Miami |
FL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
HZAT, LLC
Miami
FL
|
Family ID: |
1000005568118 |
Appl. No.: |
17/313770 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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17079186 |
Oct 23, 2020 |
11000064 |
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17313770 |
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16913477 |
Jun 26, 2020 |
10820629 |
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17079186 |
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63022160 |
May 8, 2020 |
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62867409 |
Jun 27, 2019 |
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62867416 |
Jun 27, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 40/42 20200101;
A24F 40/10 20200101; A24B 15/167 20161101; A24F 40/50 20200101 |
International
Class: |
A24F 40/42 20060101
A24F040/42; A24B 15/167 20060101 A24B015/167; A24F 40/50 20060101
A24F040/50; A24F 40/10 20060101 A24F040/10 |
Claims
1. A pod for use in a heat-not-burn tobacco aerosolization device,
the pod comprising: a container including one or more walls which
at least partially define an interior volume; a wet tobacco product
disposed within the container, the wet tobacco product comprising
at least about 65% glycerin by weight, at least about 5% water by
weight, and at least about 15% tobacco by weight; and a heating
element at least partially disposed within the container, the
heating element being substantially surrounded by and in contact
with the wet tobacco product; wherein the pod is adapted to be
received by a base unit and to receive from the base unit current
to heat the heating element; and wherein the container, the wet
tobacco product, and the heating element are configured such that,
upon inhalation by a user, i) air flows across and in contact with
a top surface of the wet tobacco product and at least a portion of
the heating element, and ii) a liquid portion of the wet tobacco
product is aerosolized by boiling the liquid portion in contact
with the heating element.
2. The pod of claim 1, wherein the container, wet tobacco product
and heating element are further configured such that a discrete
solid portion of the wet tobacco product containing both glycerin
and water is aerosolized at a temperature not exceeding about
140.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco product 1 mm from the
heating element.
3. The pod of claim 1, wherein the container includes walls
configured to deform inwardly under negative inhalation pressure
applied by the user.
4. The pod of claim 1, wherein the wet tobacco product has a
jam-like consistency at room temperature.
5. The pod of claim 1, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to aerosolize the
wet tobacco product at an efficiency of about 60 to 120 puffs per
gram of the wet tobacco product.
6. The pod of claim 1, wherein the wet tobacco product is free of
propylene glycol.
7. The pod of claim 1, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to generate an
aerosolized inhalant adapted to be inhaled by the user through the
pod, and wherein the aerosolized inhalant has at least six times
less HPHCs than inhaled smoke of a 3R4F traditional cigarette.
8. The pod of claim 1, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to, during a
heating cycle lasting about one to three seconds, aerosolize the
wet tobacco product at a temperature not exceeding about
120.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco 1 mm from the heating
element.
9. A pod for use in a heat-not-burn tobacco aerosolization device,
the pod comprising: a container including one or more walls which
at least partially define an interior volume; a wet tobacco product
disposed within the container, the wet tobacco product comprising
at least about 65% glycerin by weight, at least about 5% water by
weight, and at least about 15% tobacco by weight; and a heating
element at least partially disposed within the container, the
heating element being substantially surrounded by and in contact
with the wet tobacco product; wherein the pod is adapted to be
received by a base unit and to receive from the base unit current
to heat the heating element; and wherein the container, the wet
tobacco product, and the heating element are configured to
aerosolize the wet tobacco product to generate an aerosolized
inhalant adapted to be inhaled by a user through the pod and
wherein the aerosolized inhalant has at least six times less HPHCs
than inhaled smoke of a 3R4F traditional cigarette.
10. The pod of claim 9, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured such that, upon
inhalation by the user, i) air flows across and in contact with a
top surface of the wet tobacco product and at least a portion of
the heating element, and ii) a liquid portion of the wet tobacco
product is aerosolized by boiling the liquid portion in contact
with the heating element.
11. The pod of claim 10, wherein the container, wet tobacco
product, and heating element are further configured such that a
discrete solid portion of the wet tobacco product containing both
glycerin and water is aerosolized at a temperature not exceeding
about 140.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco product 1 mm
from the heating element.
12. The pod of claim 9, wherein the wet tobacco product has a
jam-like consistency at room temperature.
13. The pod of claim 9, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to aerosolize the
wet tobacco product at an efficiency of about 60 to 120 puffs per
gram of the wet tobacco product.
14. The pod of claim 9, wherein the wet tobacco product is free of
propylene glycol.
15. The pod of claim 9, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to, during a
heating cycle lasting about one to three seconds, aerosolize the
wet tobacco product at a temperature not exceeding about
120.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco 1 mm from the heating
element.
16. A pod for use in a heat-not-burn tobacco aerosolization device,
the pod comprising: a container including one or more walls which
at least partially define an interior volume; a wet tobacco product
disposed within the container, the wet tobacco product comprising
at least about 65% glycerin by weight, at least about 5% water by
weight, and at least about 15% tobacco by weight; and a heating
element at least partially disposed within the container, the
heating element being substantially surrounded by and in contact
with the wet tobacco product; wherein the pod is adapted to be
received by a base unit and to receive from the base unit current
to heat the heating element; and wherein the container, the wet
tobacco product, and the heating element are configured to
aerosolize the wet tobacco product at an efficiency of about 60 to
120 puffs per gram of the wet tobacco product.
17. The pod of claim 16, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to aerosolize the
wet tobacco product to generate an aerosolized inhalant adapted to
be inhaled by a user through the disposable tobacco delivery unit
and wherein the aerosolized inhalant has at least six times less
HPHCs than inhaled smoke of a 3R4F traditional cigarette.
18. The pod of claim 16, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured such that, upon
inhalation by the user, i) air flows across and in contact with a
top surface of the wet tobacco product and at least a portion of
the heating element, and ii) a liquid portion of the wet tobacco
product is aerosolized by boiling the liquid portion in contact
with the heating element.
19. The pod of claim 19, wherein the container, the wet tobacco
product, and the heating element are configured to aerosolize the
wet tobacco product at a temperature not exceeding about
140.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco product 1 mm from the
heating element.
20. The pod of claim 16, wherein the wet tobacco product has a
jam-like consistency at room temperature.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit
of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/079,186 filed
Oct. 23, 2020, (to be issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,000,064) which is
a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/913,477 filed Jun. 26, 2020, (now U.S. Pat.
No. 10,820,629) which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial Nos. 63/022,160 filed May 8, 2020, 62/867,409,
filed Jun. 27, 2019, and 62/867,416, filed Jun. 27, 2019, each of
which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0002] Each document cited herein is incorporated by reference in
its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The use of e-cigarettes or vaping mechanisms have gained
popularity in the last several years as an alternative mode of
delivering nicotine to end-users. The e-cigarettes or related
products currently on the market typically comprise a housing or
pod with a heating element connected to a metal conductor used to
vaporize or create an aerosol of a nicotine juice mixture for users
to inhale. The resulting vapor or aerosol is usually the byproduct
of nicotine or nicotine juice mixture, flavorant, and solvents. The
e-cigarette and vaping device methods tend to deliver a "smoking
experience" without the true tobacco taste and flavor. Thus, while
somewhat safer than smoking traditional tobacco products, the
experience is much less satisfying than would be experienced with a
traditional, cigarette-type product.
[0004] One value of traditionally produced tobacco that is missing
from current vaping devices is the complex flavor imparted by the
cured, prepared tobacco. Over hundreds of years, the tobacco
industry has developed protocols for producing desirable and
complex flavors by such means as tobacco plant breeding, specific
tobacco crop growing methods, harvesting methods, and various
tobacco curing processes, for consumer products that deliver the
user a specific flavor upon inhalation. These products include, for
example, cigarettes, cigars, snuff, dip, snus, pipe tobacco, and
other products. This complexity of the flavors during the
inhalation experience is often missing or masked by flavorants in
modern e-cigarette and inhalation devices.
[0005] As another alternative to traditional cigarettes, hookah
devices utilize heat (such as charcoal heat) to create tobacco
vapor that passes through a water container prior to inhalation.
Typically, the tobacco product used in these devices is termed
"shisha." These hookah or shisha devices can include one hose
outlet, or several hose outlets so that multiple consumers can use
the device at the same time. The tobacco used in shisha devices may
be mixed with other ingredients, to alter the flavor or smoke
production characteristics of the device.
[0006] In recent years a new category of tobacco product has
emerged: "heat-not-burn." As early as 1994, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco
had introduced the Eclipse line of heat-not-burn cigarette products
and since the mid-1990s additional heat-not-burn systems were
commercialized and marketed to smokers. Heat-not-burn tobacco
products heat the tobacco enough to warm it but not to burn it,
often using a battery-powered heating system. As the heating system
begins to heat the tobacco, it generates an aerosol that contains
nicotine and other chemicals that is inhaled. Gases, liquid and
solid particles, and tar are usually found in the emissions of
conventional heat-not-burn products. Heat-not-burn products often
contain additives not found in tobacco and are frequently flavored.
Heat-not-burn products typically heat tobacco leaves at a lower
temperature than traditional cigarettes, typically about
250-400.degree. C. instead of 500.degree. C. or higher at which
tobacco combustion occurs.
[0007] In contrast to heat-not-burn tobacco products, vaping
products typically operate by providing a nicotine-containing
liquid in a reservoir that includes a wicking system to draw the
liquid into an air passage. As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 10,653,180
assigned to Juul Labs, a portion of which has been reproduced as
FIG. 5, the cartridge 14 includes two compartments 114, 214 which
contain liquid soaked batting 6, 7. A silica wick 9 draws the
nicotine containing liquid into the air passage 26 and into contact
with a heating element 31. The heating element aerosolizes the
nicotine containing fluid, which is produces an inhalable aerosol
form.
[0008] Typical heating element temperatures in conventional vaping
devices are from about 150-230.degree. C. Such aerosolization
temperatures are lower than typical heat-not-burn devices and for
this reason vaping devices typically produce fewer and less
concentrated harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs).
Based on data published by a leading tobacco company, a reduction
of the aerosolization temperature from 300.degree. C. to
200.degree. C. reduces HPHCs by a factor of two, whereas reduction
of the aerosolization temperature from 300.degree. C. to
100.degree. C. reduces HPHCs by a factor of four, five or six.
[0009] One substantial disadvantage of vaping products is that they
contain an increased concentration of nicotine and flavorants
relative to cigarettes. One Juul cartridge, called a pod, has
roughly the equivalent amount of nicotine as one pack of
cigarettes. That increased nicotine concentration carries with it a
possible increased risk of addiction. Vaping also has been reported
to have adverse short-term health effects such as rapid
deterioration of vascular function, increased heart rate, and
elevated diastolic blood pressure.
[0010] Returning to conventional heat-not-burn devices, they
include delivery systems designed to heat a mixture of nicotine
juice, flavorant, and other additives in order to convert it into
vapor/smoke for inhalation by an end-user. The heat-not-burn
devices currently on the market are limited in that they cannot be
used with unaltered real leaf tobacco. Such devices often utilize
scraps and fines of a tobacco plant that is formed into a
reconstituted or homogenized tobacco sheet such as that shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B, which does not retain a high tobacco content of
leaf tobacco after processing and is altered chemically.
[0011] One particularly popular heat-not-burn device is IQOS,
marketed by Philip Morris International under the Marlboro and
Parliament brands and described in U.S. Published Patent
Application No. 2015/0150302A1. The IQOS product consists of a
charger around the size of a mobile phone and a holder that looks
like a pen. The disposable tobacco stick, called a HeatStick, is
described as a mini-cigarette. The sticks contain dry processed
reconstituted tobacco that has been soaked in propylene glycol and
dried to a target moisture level. The mini-cigarette is inserted
into the holder which then heats the rolled dry tobacco sheet
product to temperatures up to 350-400.degree. C.
[0012] The interface of the IQOS mini-cigarette and holder are
illustrated in FIG. 2. The holder 201 includes a heating blade 202
to heat a rod of dry tobacco product 203 that has been soaked in
propylene glycol and formed of rolled sheets of tobacco as shown in
FIGS. 1A-1B. A user draws on the mouth-end 204 of the
mini-cigarette and the tobacco is heated to a temperature of about
375.degree. C. At this temperature, volatile compounds are evolved
from the two different sheets of cast-leaf tobacco of the rod 203.
These compounds condense to form an aerosol. The aerosol is drawn
through the filter (also indicated by reference number 204) and
into the user's mouth.
[0013] The combination of relatively high heat (350 to 400.degree.
C.) and aerosolized propylene glycol produces a relatively thick
vapor and more robust flavor than certain vaping products. However,
the increased heat also increases the concentration of HPHCs. IQOS
achieves only about an 80% reduction of HPHCs (known carcinogens)
relative to cigarette smoking. At lower temperatures, substantially
higher HPHC reductions of 90% or more could be achieved.
[0014] Moreover, propylene glycol as a moisture carrier for the
reconstituted sheet is synthetic and may present certain risk
factors compared to a natural glycerin. Glycerin is a non-toxic
fluid made from plant oils in its natural form. Propylene glycol,
in contrast, is a synthetic fluid that derives from propylene
oxide. While it is recognized as a generally safe chemical for
human use in liquid form, due to its more toxic behavior than
glycerin the amount of propylene glycol in a product is typically
small. Trace amounts of propylene glycol can be found in many
products, as it does not react on its own and does not affect other
ingredients. However, when propylene glycol is heated it may change
the chemical composition and produce propylene oxide which is known
as a carcinogen. Accordingly, the IQOS product may produce
unhealthy levels of propylene oxide because of the unique manner in
which it heats dry tobacco containing propylene glycol to a
relatively high temperature of 350.degree. C. or more.
[0015] The IQOS product includes numerous synthetic ingredients
that are added in an attempt to provide acceptable taste. According
to Philip Morris' website, its heated tobacco products such as IQOS
Heatsticks include numerous additives, listed in Table 1 below,
added to the tobacco in the version sold in the United Kingdom. The
additive information for the version of IQOS Heatstick sold in the
United States is not provided.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Maximal use level (% in the tobacco)
Function CAS 2,4-heptadienal 0.001 flavouring 4313-03-5 2-heptanone
0.0001 flavouring 110-43-0 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol 0.005
flavouring 93-51-6 3-hexen-1-ol 0.001 flavouring 928-96-1
4-ethylguaiacol 0.005 flavouring 2785-89-9 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one
0.0005 flavouring 110-93-0 acetic acid 0.0005 flavouring 64-19-7
acetoin 0.01 flavouring 513-86-0 acetophenone 0.0001 flavouring
98-86-2 alpha-irone 0.0005 flavouring 79-69-6 alpha-phellandrene
0.0005 flavouring 99-83-2 alpha-pinene 0.005 flavouring 80-56-8
alpha-terpineol 0.0005 flavouring 98-55-5 bergamot oil 0.0005
flavouring 8007-75-8 beta-caryophyllene 0.005 flavouring 87-44-5
beta-damascenone 0.01 flavouring 23696-85-7 beta-damascone 0.005
flavouring 23726-91-2 beta-ionone 0.0001 flavouring 14901-07-6
buchu leaves oil 0.0005 flavouring 68650-46-4 butyric acid 0.001
flavouring 107-92-6 camphene 0.0001 flavouring 79-92-5 carrot oil
0.005 flavouring 8015-88-1 cascarilla bark oil 0.0005 flavouring
8007-06-5 cedarwood oil 0.001 flavouring 8000-27-9 cellulose 3.8
binder 9004-34-6 chamomile flower, 0.0005 flavouring 8002-66-2
hungarian, oil chamomile flower, roman, 0.005 flavouring 8015-92-7
extract & oil cinnamon bark oil 0.0005 flavouring 8015-91-6
citral 0.01 flavouring 5392-40-5 citric acid 0.0005 flavouring
77-92-9 citronella oil 0.0005 flavouring 8000-29-1 cocoa and cocoa
products 0.005 casing various coriander oil 0.0005 flavouring
8008-52-4 d,l-citronellol 0.0005 flavouring 106-22-9 davana oil
0.005 flavouring 8016-03-3 decanal 0.0005 flavouring 112-31-2
delta-decalactone 0.001 flavouring 705-86-2 d-limonene 0.005
flavouring 5989-27-5 ethyl acetate 0.005 flavouring 141-78-6 ethyl
butyrate 0.05 flavouring 105-54-4 ethyl heptanoate 0.0001
flavouring 106-30-9 ethyl hexanoate 0.005 flavouring 123-66-0 ethyl
lactate 0.0005 flavouring 97-64-3 ethyl laurate 0.0005 flavouring
106-33-2 ethyl maltol 0.01 flavouring 4940-11-8 ethyl nonanoate
0.0005 flavouring 123-29-5 ethyl oenanthate 0.05 flavouring
8016-21-5 ethyl palmitate 0.005 flavouring 628-97-7 ethyl
propionate 0.01 flavouring 105-37-3 ethyl vanillin 0.05 flavouring
121-32-4 fen.mu.greek extract 0.001 flavouring 84625-40-1 furaneol
0.0005 flavouring 3658-77-3 gamma-decalactone 0.0005 flavouring
706-14-9 gamma-nonalactone 0.0005 flavouring 104-61-0
gamma-valerolactone 0.0005 flavouring 108-29-2 geranyl acetate 0.01
flavouring 105-87-3 glycerol 17 humectant 56-81-5 guaiac wood oil
0.005 flavouring 8016-23-7 guaiacol 0.05 flavouring 90-05-1 guar
gum 2.2 binder 9000-30-0 hexanal 0.005 flavouring 66-25-1 hexanoic
acid 0.005 flavouring 142-62-1 hexyl acetate 0.001 flavouring
142-92-7 immortelle extract 0.0001 flavouring 8023-95-8 isoamyl
butyrate 0.005 flavouring 106-27-4 isobutylcarbinol 0.005
flavouring 123-51-3 isobutyric acid 0.0001 flavouring 79-31-2
isopropylcarbinol 0.0001 flavouring 78-83-1 isopulegol 0.001
flavouring 89-79-2 isovaleric acid 0.0005 flavouring 503-74-2
jasmine absolute 0.0001 flavouring 84776-64-7 juniper oil 0.001
flavouring 8002-68-4 lauric acid 0.0001 flavouring 143-07-7 lemon
oil 0.01 flavouring 8008-56-8 lime oil 0.05 flavouring 8008-26-2
litsea cubeba oil 0.01 flavouring 68855-99-2 lovage extract or oil
0.0005 flavouring 8016-31-7 mandarine oil 0.005 flavouring
8008-31-9 menthol 1.4 flavouring 89-80-5 menthyl acetate 0.001
flavouring 16409-45-3 methyl anthranilate 0.0001 flavouring
134-20-3 methyl cinnamate 0.0001 flavouring 103-26-4 methyl
cyclopentenolone 0.005 flavouring various methyl phenylacetate
0.0005 flavouring 101-41-7 methyl salicylate 0.005 flavouring
119-36-8 nonanal 0.0005 flavouring 124-19-6 oakmoss absolute 0.001
flavouring 9000-50-4 octanoic acid 0.0005 flavouring 124-07-2
orange oil distilled 0.05 flavouring 68606-94-0 orange oil terpenes
0.05 flavouring 68647-72-3 orange oil, sweet 0.05 flavouring
8008-57-9 palmarosa oil 0.0005 flavouring 8014-19-5 pepper oil,
black 0.001 flavouring 8006-82-4 peppermint oil 0.5 flavouring
8006-90-4 peti.mu.grain oil 0.001 flavouring 8014-17-3 phenethyl
acetate 0.001 flavouring 103-45-7 phenylacetaldehyde 0.0001
flavouring 122-78-1 phenylcarbinol 0.2 flavouring 100-51-6 pine
needle oil 0.001 flavouring 8021-29-2 piperonal 0.001 flavouring
120-57-0 propenylguaethol 0.0001 flavouring 94-86-0 propylene
glycol 1 humectant 57-55-6 sandalwood oil, yellow 0.005 flavouring
8006-87-9 spearmint oil 0.05 flavouring 8008-79-5 storax 0.001
flavouring 8046-19-3 styrylcarbinol 0.005 flavouring 104-54-1
s.mu.gar cane extract 0.05 flavouring 90604-30-1 tangerine oil
terpeneless 0.05 flavouring 68607-01-2 tolu balsam gum 0.001
flavouring 9000-64-0 valeric acid 0.0005 flavouring 109-52-4
vanilla extract 0.05 flavouring 2236902 vanillin 0.05 flavouring
121-33-5 Water 13 moisturizer, 7732-18-5 processing aid
[0016] Although some of these flavorings may be considered safe
when consumed at room temperature, the combination of aldehydes
from the flavorants and propylene glycol (PG) leads to the
formation of acetals that may have toxicological properties. In one
study, various flavor aldehydes were mixed together with PG of
varying concentration. (Bai, Flavorants and Propylene Glycol from
e-Cigarettes Form Harmful Irritants When Combined, American Journal
of Managed Care, Nov. 2, 2018) In every flavoring aldehyde tested,
including vanillin, ethylvanillin, benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde,
acetals were produced. Investigators also observed increasing
acetal production when PG concentration was increased.
[0017] According to St. Helen G, Jacob III P, Nardone N, et al,
"IQOS: examination of Philip Morris International's claim of
reduced exposure", Tobacco Control, 27.Suppl 1 (2018): s30-s36, the
aerosol generated by IQOS includes substantially higher levels of
many emissions compared to a reference cigarette. As shown in Table
2 below, twenty-two constituents of unknown toxicity were at least
200% higher while seven were at least 1000% higher in IQOS
emissions compared with a traditional 3R4F cigarette.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 IQOS Change (%) with Unit HeatStick 3R4F
3R4F on stick basis 1,2,3-Propanetriol,diacetate(diacetin)
.mu.g/stick 1.23 0.381 .uparw. 223 1,2-Propanediol,3-chloro
.mu.g/stick 9.94 5.93 .uparw. 68 1,4-Dioxane,2-ethyl-5-methyl-
.mu.g/stick 0.055 0.0004 .uparw. 13 650
12,14-Labdadiene-7,8-diol,(8a,12E) .mu.g/stick 1.43 0.064 .uparw.
2134 1 hour-Indene,2,3-dihydro-1,1,5,6- .mu.g/stick 0.026 0.014
.uparw. 86 tetramethyl- 1-Hydroxy-2-butanone .mu.g/stick 0.947
0.465 .uparw. 104 1-Hydroxy-2-propanone(1,2- .mu.g/stick 162 96.8
.uparw. 67 Propenediol) 2(5H)-Furanone .mu.g/stick 5.32 1.99
.uparw. 167 2,3-Dihydro-5-hydroxy-6-methyl- .mu.g/stick 0.231 0.135
.uparw. 71 4 hour-pyran-4-one 2,4-Dimethylcyclopent-4-ene-1,3-
.mu.g/stick 0.333 0.193 .uparw. 73 dione 2-Cyclopentene-1,4-dione
.mu.g/stick 3.8 0.764 .uparw. 397 2-Formyl-1-methylpyrrole
.mu.g/stick 0.128 0.064 .uparw. 100 2-Furancarboxaldehyde,5-methyl-
.mu.g/stick 11.1 2.94 .uparw. 278 2-Furanmethanol .mu.g/stick 39.2
7 .uparw. 460 2-Furanmethanol,5-methyl- .mu.g/stick 0.123 0.029
.uparw. 324 2 hour-Pyran-2-one,tetrahydro-5- .mu.g/stick 4.45 3.11
.uparw. 43 hydroxy 2-Methylcyclobutane-1,3-dione .mu.g/stick 2.78
0.71 .uparw. 292 2-Propanone,1-(acetyloxy)- .mu.g/stick 16.9 8.01
.uparw. 111 3(2H)-Furanone,dihydro-2-methyl- .mu.g/stick 0.326
0.119 .uparw. 174 3-Methylvaleric acid .mu.g/stick 5.1 3.63 .uparw.
40 4(H)-Pyridine,N-acetyl- .mu.g/stick 0.296 0.112 .uparw. 164
5-Methylfurfural .mu.g/stick 0.995 0.632 .uparw. 57 Anhydro
linalool oxide .mu.g/stick 0.457 0.291 .uparw. 57
Benzene,1,2,3,4-tetramethyl-4-(1- .mu.g/stick 0.006 0.005 .uparw.
20 methylethenyl)- Benzenemethanol,4-hydroxy- .mu.g/stick 0.011 0
.uparw. Benzoic acid,2,5-dihydroxy-methyl .mu.g/stick 4.55 2.18
.uparw. 109 Butylated hydroxytoluene .mu.g/stick 0.132 0.007
.uparw. 1786 Butyrolactone .mu.g/stick 4.08 0.728 .uparw. 460
Cis-sesquisabinene hydrate .mu.g/stick 0.061 0 .uparw.
Cyclohexane,1,2-dioxo- .mu.g/stick 0.083 0.046 .uparw. 80
Cyclohexane-1,2-dione,3-methyl- .mu.g/stick 0.101 0.073 .uparw. 38
Eicosane,2-methyl- .mu.g/stick 0.05 0.014 .uparw. 257 Ergosterol
.mu.g/stick 3.18 1.58 .uparw. 101 Ethyl 2,4-dioxohexanoate
.mu.g/stick 6.73 3.57 .uparw. 89 Ethyl dodecanoate (ethyl laurate)
.mu.g/stick 0.023 0 .uparw. Ethyl linoleate .mu.g/stick 0.135 0.008
.uparw. 1588 Ethyl linolenate .mu.g/stick 0.614 0.153 .uparw. 301
Furfural .mu.g/stick 31.1 25.9 .uparw. 20 Glycerol mg/stick 5.02
2.08 .uparw. 141 Glycidol .mu.g/stick 5.71 1.76 .uparw. 224
Heneicosane,2-methyl- .mu.g/stick 0.063 0.021 .uparw. 200
Hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester .mu.g/stick 0.491 0.008 .uparw. 6038
Isolinderanolide .mu.g/stick 4.99 1.85 .uparw. 170
Isoquinoline,3-methyl .mu.g/stick 6.29 4.99 .uparw. 26
Labdane-8,15-diol,(13S) .mu.g/stick 0.143 0.015 .uparw. 853
Lanost-8-en-3-ol,24-methylene-, .mu.g/stick 6.3 1.61 .uparw. 291
(3beta) Maltoxazine .mu.g/stick 0.077 0.038 .uparw. 103 Methyl
furoate .mu.g/stick 0.147 0.029 .uparw. 407 Phenylacetaldehyde
.mu.g/stick 1.41 0.529 .uparw. 167 p-Menthan-3-ol .mu.g/stick 0.786
0.322 .uparw. 144 Propylene glycol .mu.g/stick 175 23.7 .uparw. 638
Pyranone .mu.g/stick 6.54 5.07 .uparw. 29 Pyranone .mu.g/stick 9.26
5.84 .uparw. 59 Pyridoxin .mu.g/stick 0.699 0.526 .uparw. 33
Stearate,ethyl- .mu.g/stick 0.074 0.003 .uparw. 2367 Tar mg/stick
19.4 25 .dwnarw. 22 Trans-4-hydroxymethy1-2- .mu.g/stick 2.09 0.044
.uparw. 4650 methyl-1,3-dioxolane 1,3-Butadiene .mu.g/stick 0.21
89.2 .dwnarw. 99.8 1-Aminonaphthalene ng/stick 0.043 20.9 .dwnarw.
99.8 2-Aminonaphthalene ng/stick 0.022 17.5 .dwnarw. 99.9
3-Aminobiphenyl ng/stick 0.007 4.6 .dwnarw. 99.8 4-Aminobiphenyl
ng/stick 0.009 3.21 .dwnarw. 99.7 Acetaldehyde .mu.g/stick 192 1602
.dwnarw. 88 Acetamide .mu.g/stick 2.96 13 .dwnarw. 77 Acetone
.mu.g/stick 30.7 653 .dwnarw. 95 Acrolein .mu.g/stick 8.32 158
.dwnarw. 95 Acrylamide .mu.g/stick 1.58 4.5 .dwnarw. 65
Acrylonitrile .mu.g/stick 0.145 21.2 .dwnarw. 99.3 Ammonia
.mu.g/stick 12.2 33.2 .dwnarw. 63 Arsenic ng/stick <0.36
<7.49 NA Benz[a]anthracene ng/stick 2.65 28.4 .dwnarw. 91
Benzene .mu.g/stick 0.45 77.3 .dwnarw. 99.4 Benzo[a]pyrene ng/stick
0.736 13.3 .dwnarw. 94 Butyraldehyde .mu.g/stick 20.7 81.3 .dwnarw.
74 Cadmium ng/stick <0.28 89.2 .dwnarw. >99.7 Carbon monoxide
mg/stick 0.35 29.4 .dwnarw. 99 Catechol .mu.g/stick 14 84.1
.dwnarw. 83 Chromium ng/stick <11.0 <11.9 NA Crotonaldehyde
.mu.g/stick <3.29 49.3 .dwnarw. >93 Dibenz[a,h]anthracene
ng/stick <0.124 <0.689 NA Ethylene oxide .mu.g/stick
<0.119 16 .dwnarw. >99.3 Formaldehyde .mu.g/stick 14.1 79.4
.dwnarw. 82 Hydrogen cyanide .mu.g/stick <1.75 329 .dwnarw.
>99.5 Hydroquinone .mu.g/stick 6.55 94.5 .dwnarw. 93 Isoprene
.mu.g/stick 1.51 891 .dwnarw. 99.8 Lead ng/stick 2.23 31.2 .dwnarw.
93 m-Cresol .mu.g/stick 0.042 4.24 .dwnarw. 99 Mercury ng/stick
1.38 3.68 .dwnarw. 63 Methyl-ethyl-ketone .mu.g/stick 10.1 183
.dwnarw. 94 Nickel ng/stick <15.9 <12.9 NA Nicotine mg/stick
1.29 1.74 .dwnarw. 26 Nitric oxide .mu.g/stick 12.6 484 .dwnarw. 97
Nitro benzene .mu.g/stick <0.011 <0.038 NA Nitrogen oxides
.mu.g/stick 14.2 538 .dwnarw. 97 N-nitrosoanabasine ng/stick 2.35
29 .dwnarw. 92 N-nitrosoanatabine ng/stick 14.7 254 .dwnarw. 94 NNK
ng/stick 7.8 244.7 .dwnarw. 97 NNN ng/stick 10.1 271 .dwnarw. 96
o-Cresol .mu.g/stick 0.078 4.81 .dwnarw. 98 o-Toluidine ng/stick
1.1 96.2 .dwnarw. 99 p-Cresol .mu.g/stick 0.071 9.6 .dwnarw. 99
Phenol .mu.g/stick 1.47 15.6 .dwnarw. 91 Propionaldehyde
.mu.g/stick 10.8 109 .dwnarw. 90 Propylene oxide ng/stick 142.3 896
.dwnarw. 84 Pyrene ng/stick 8.2 79.2 .dwnarw. 90 Pyridine
.mu.g/stick 6.58 30.9 .dwnarw. 79 Quinoline .mu.g/stick <0.011
0.43 .dwnarw. >98 Resorcinol .mu.g/stick <0.055 1.72 .dwnarw.
>97 Selenium ng/stick 1.27 <4.42 NA Styrene .mu.g/stick 0.58
13.9 .dwnarw. 96 Toluene .mu.g/stick 1.42 129 .dwnarw. 99 Vinyl
chloride ng/stick <0.657 93.4 .dwnarw. >99 Water mg/stick
30.2 14.7 .uparw. 105
[0018] While not wanting to be bound to any particular theory,
applicant currently believes that heating and aerosolization of the
substantial number of flavorants and synthetic additives,
especially in the presence of PG, generates many of these emissions
of unknown toxicity in long term use by adults. The acetals, in
particular, are potentially produced by the heating of flavorants
in the presence of PG.
[0019] Another heat-not-burn product is GLO sold by British
American Tobacco and described in U.S. Published Patent Application
No. 2018/0049469A1. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the GLO apparatus 1
has a heating chamber 4 which, in use, contains the smokable
material to be heated and volatized. The smokable material is a
cylinder 5 formed of dry tobacco product that, like the tobacco
product of IQOS, has been soaked in propylene glycol and then
dried. An end of the smokable material article 5 projects out of
the apparatus 1 through the open end 3 of the housing 2. The
article 5 typically includes, like the IQOS Heatstick, a filter
element at its outermost end. The heating chamber 4 includes
heating elements 10 made of a ceramic material.
[0020] In use, the heating elements 10 aerosolize the dry tobacco
product within cylinder 5 in a manner similar to that described
above in connection with IQOS. The user inhales the aerosol through
the proximal end of cylinder 5. The operation of the GLO product is
similar to IQOS in that a heater aerosolizes the dry tobacco
product and the user inhales the aerosol.
[0021] While the ingredients added to the tobacco product in GLO
are not known, it is believed that the number, kind and type of
additives are similar to those used in IQOS. Accordingly, it is
believed that GLO generates an aerosol including many of the same
constituents as IQOS.
[0022] Another popular heat-not-burn product is Ploom sold by Japan
Tobacco Industries and described in U.S. Published Patent
Application 2015/0208729. As shown in FIG. 4, the Ploom heater 305
aerosolizes a humectant-containing tobacco product 306 as air is
drawn through inlet 321. The vapor emitted from the tobacco product
condenses in the condensation chamber 303. The gas phase humectant
vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets. In this manner an
aerosol is formed and inhaled by the user. In some Ploom variants
the heat is provided by butane gas, the combustion products from
which are also inhaled by the user. The Ploom product also suffers
from the same disadvantages described above with respect to IQOS
and GLO.
[0023] In the more recently released Ploom Tech/Tech+ product,
liquid in a reservoir is vaporized by a heater and that vapor is
passed through a dry tobacco product that has been treated with a
mixture of propylene glycol and glycerin (30:70 by weight). The
vapor cools and condenses into droplets which pick up nicotine and
tobacco flavor from the dry tobacco product. According to the
above-referenced patent application, the propylene glycol produced
a "far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would
have otherwise been produced" with natural glycerin.
[0024] While the Ploom Tech/Tech+ product operates at a lower
temperature than other heat-not-burn products describe above, and
thus produces fewer HPHCs, the vapor produced by this product has
limited ability to extract taste and nicotine from the dry tobacco
product through which the vapor passes. The resulting user
experience is correspondingly diminished.
[0025] Each of these conventional heat-not-burn products produces a
taste and user experience which consumers have generally found
lacking. The taste provided by the aerosols of conventional
heat-not-burn products is not as rich and satisfying as traditional
tobacco products and, as a consequence, conventional heat-not-burn
products have not accomplished the stated goal of reducing smoking
of traditional cigarettes. Because of the inferior taste and user
experience, user adoption of heat-not-burn products has been slow
in many countries and traditional cigarette usage has not been
substantially abated.
[0026] The conventional heat-not-burn products thus suffer from one
or more of the following disadvantages. First, numerous synthetic
and potentially toxic ingredients are added in an effort to achieve
acceptable taste. Second, the resulting taste and user experience
have fallen far short of that required to encourage widespread
migration from traditional cigarette smoking. Third, the
conventional products include propylene glycol, the aerosolization
of which may generate harmful effluents especially when heated in
the presence of common flavorants. Fourth, the tobacco products
used in the conventional products are not organic. The use of
non-organic tobacco products further limits the potential health
benefits provided by these heat-not-burn products as they may
contain various agricultural fertilizers, pesticides and
herbicides. Fifth, the conventional tobacco products generate
various carcinogens not naturally present in tobacco. These
additional carcinogens are cross-purposes with the stated objective
of heat-not-burn devices, to provide a safer and healthier
alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes.
[0027] Additionally, the conventional heat-not-burn delivery
devices are relatively expensive to manufacture. Many include
inhalation sensing or "puff detection" systems that automatically
control heating. Some include gas-powered heating mechanisms or
portable charging and/or heating units that are large, expensive,
and relatively bulky. Still others include inductive heating
systems which are both complex and expensive. Certain products use
both fluid reservoirs and separate supplies of dry or partially
moistened reconstituted tobacco material. The result, heretofore,
has been a series of heat-not-burn devices that are relatively
expensive and complex to manufacture, both with respect to the base
unit, charger and/or heater and with respect to the consumable
liquid and/or tobacco product.
[0028] Certain embodiments described herein address one or more of
the foregoing problems. Certain embodiments which are exemplified
herein solve most or all of these problems. However, the scope of
the invention is defined by the claims and the foregoing discussion
of the shortcomings of the conventional heat-not-burn products
should not be construed to limit the claims by implication or
otherwise. Various embodiments described herein and within the
scope of the claims may not solve certain, or any, of the
particular problems addressed above. Again, however, the
embodiments that are currently most preferred solve many, most or
all of these problems.
SUMMARY OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0029] The conventional heat-not-burn devices discussed above use
dry tobacco product in order to promote heating and aerosolization
of the tobacco product. Aerosolization of the tobacco product
requires air, and thus each of the conventional heat-not-burn
products include dry tobacco product through which air can flow, as
in a traditional cigarette. Even in conventional vaping devices,
wicks are used to draw nicotine-containing liquid into an air
stream, which ensures that the aerosolization process is not
starved of air.
[0030] The applicant has discovered that, surprisingly, by careful
design of the tobacco product and delivery device it is possible to
aerosolize wet tobacco product even when the heating element is
substantially surrounded by the wet tobacco product. Such an
aerosolization process keeps temperatures very low (on the order of
100.degree. C.) which reduces HPHCs as much as 4, 5 or 6 times or
more relative to conventional heat-not-burn products. In contrast
to conventional vaping products, however, the aerosolized product
is real leaf tobacco and contains no added nicotine or flavorants.
That, in turn, avoids the increased risk of addiction and
short-term health effects reported in connection with modern vaping
devices.
[0031] Also, unlike conventional heat-not-burn or vaping products,
embodiments exemplified herein provide an improved taste and user
experience that is more likely to replace smoking of traditional
cigarettes, thereby providing a substantial health benefit to the
public. Conventional vaping devices are not typically considered to
be smoking substitutes, as users often continue smoking cigarettes
while vaping and often become addicted to vaping in the process.
The result is that users sometimes become dual product users
instead of single product users. The absence of the fulsome taste
and experience of natural tobacco is believed to contribute to
these disadvantages. Preferred embodiments of the instant invention
overcome those disadvantages by providing an improved taste and
adult user experience that is likely to replace traditional
cigarettes without the added nicotine, associated addiction risk,
and short-term health effects of vaping and without the elevated
HPHC levels associated with conventional heat-not-burn devices and
flavorants.
[0032] In a smoke test involving twenty-one participants who
sampled the IQOS Heatstick (currently the most popular
heat-not-burn product for sale internationally) and an embodiment
of the invention exemplified herein, the product of the invention
was deemed to provide far improved taste and ease of use. As to
taste, on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being best) IQOS received a rating
of 1.29 (1 being worst) and the product of Example 4 was given a
rating of 4.57 (5 being best). For ease of use, IQOS received a
rating of 1.05 compared to 4.95 for the preferred embodiment of the
invention exemplified herein. None of the twenty-one smoke test
participants was aware of any affiliation between the administrator
of the study and either of the products.
[0033] The applicant also discovered that, in order to achieve
aerosolization of wet tobacco product, it is advantageous to
carefully control the viscosity of the composition of the material
and the manner in which it contacts the heating element. While
conventional heat-not-burn and vaping products use dry tobacco
product or wicks to ensure that ample air flow is supplied to the
heated tobacco product or nicotine-containing liquid, immersing the
heating element in a wet tobacco product was not previously
considered feasible because the wet tobacco product was expected to
smother the heating element and impede or eliminate effective
aerosolization. Indeed, the applicant has found that in many
potential embodiments the heating element is in fact fully
smothered and consequently underperforms and draws power rapidly
from the battery, further impeding performance.
[0034] As shown in Comparative Example 1, if the tobacco product is
too wet or too much of it surrounds the heating element, one or
more of the following problems are encountered. First, as noted
above the heating element may be smothered, preventing effective
aerosolization. Second, only a small portion of the total available
tobacco product may be consumed relative to the total amount
contained in the pod or reservoir. Third, the aerosolization may
occur for an insufficient number of puffs, such as 1-30 puffs where
200 or more puffs on the exemplified embodiments are required to
substantially exhaust the supply of tobacco product in the pod or
reservoir. Fourth, the heating element may need to be raised to an
elevated temperature, such as approaching or exceeding 300 degrees
Celsius, in order for aerosolization to occur. At such temperatures
elevated levels of HPHCs are typically produced.
[0035] Applicant found that at certain wet tobacco viscosities it
is possible to enclose the tobacco product with a deformable or
collapsible pod that substantially enhances the aerosolization of
the tobacco product. For instance, a pod made of silicone with a
wall thickness on the order of about 1 mm may be used. While not
wishing to be bound to a particular theory, it is believed that
during inhalation the pod wall partially collapses or changes shape
and deforms due to negative pressure applied by inhalation, thereby
drawing the wet tobacco product into intimate contact with the
heating element. After inhalation suction is removed, the pod
expands to its original shape, which advantageously draws air into
the interstices of the wet but relatively high viscosity tobacco
product. The physical properties of the pod--made of silicone with
a wall thickness on the order of about 1 mm--confer a balance of
being flexible enough to be deformed by the negative pressure of
inhalation but also rigid enough to return to its original shape
and advantageously draw air into the tobacco product between puffs.
During the next puff, as the element is heated, the tobacco product
is once again brought into intimate contact with the heating
element. In this fashion the pod wall performs a bellows-like
function, aerating and agitating the tobacco product thus enhancing
aerosolization during the next puff or inhalation.
[0036] This is a fundamental departure from conventional
heat-not-burn and vaping products, all of which use either a static
dry tobacco pile, or static moistened wrapped core of reconstituted
tobacco product through which air naturally flows or a wicking
system to bring nicotine containing liquid into a high flow rate
air stream where it is heated and aerosolized.
[0037] The systems and methods described herein benefit from a
careful balancing of the composition and the design of the delivery
device. By proper selection of the composition and delivery device,
in preferred embodiments a pod containing just 1.3 g of tobacco
product provides 150 puffs, compared to 12-14 puffs provided by a
typical cigarette or an IQOS Heatstick.
[0038] As noted above, embodiments of the invention exemplified
herein would reduce HPHCs relative to IQOS by a factor of four,
five or six even if the former used a tobacco product containing
the same array of synthetic ingredients added to the IQOS
Heatstick. However, the exemplified embodiments use a simple,
organic recipe comprising (or alternatively, consisting essentially
of) three ingredients: about 65-75% natural or organic glycerin,
about 5-15% of distilled, tap or purified water, and about 20%
organic whole leaf tobacco or leaf/lamina tobacco. The exemplified
embodiments thus are likely to produce less than one sixth of the
HPHCs of IQOS, for instance one seventh, eighth, ninth or tenth the
HPHCs of IQOS. Moreover, unlike IQOS and other conventional
heat-not-burn products, the exemplified products do not generate
select carcinogens not naturally present in tobacco.
[0039] The exemplified consumable units are also substantially less
complicated and expensive to manufacture. In particular,
manufacturing an IQOS Heatstick involves a complex process for
production of sheet tobacco that is post-processed and rolled into
rods that include filters and other elements. Like the manufacture
of a traditional cigarette, production of the Heatstick is a
multi-step process that involves an expensive and relatively large
manufacturing facility. By contrast, the process of preparing the
composition of the exemplified embodiments merely involves the
high-pressure heating of tobacco product followed by drying,
grinding and combining the ground tobacco product about 1:1 by
weight with glycerin, after which the tobacco product is added to
the pod.
[0040] In another aspect, the heat-not-burn system disclosed herein
is the first to achieve acceptable aerosolization without propylene
glycol or an auxiliary moisture water or vapor source. As discussed
above, conventional heat-not-burn products use real tobacco or
reconstituted tobacco but rely upon propylene glycol or an
additional source of water vapor to provide an enhanced user taste
and experience. The exemplified embodiments described herein use
neither, which avoids the adverse effects of propylene glycol such
as the formation of acetals in the presence of common flavorants
and the complexity and expense of providing an auxiliary source of
water vapor.
[0041] Another advantage of the embodiments exemplified herein is
that the tobacco product contained in the disposable pod or cup
unit need not be consumed in a single smoking session. Conventional
heat-not-burn tobacco products such as IQOS and GLO provide
mini-cigarettes or pods that must be used in one sitting or smoking
session, as the dry tobacco product is carbonized after heating and
not thereafter suitable for reheating in another smoking session.
Rather, the mini-cigarette or pod must be replaced. In contrast,
the embodiments exemplified herein provide around ten times more
puffs per pod (about 150-250 versus about 10-15) and need not be
consumed all in one smoking session. While not wishing to be bound
to a particular theory, applicant believes that this is due to the
unique wet tobacco product composition and the unique mechanism of
action which prevent carbonization of the wet tobacco product. A
user of one of the exemplified embodiments thus may use a single
pod over around ten smoking sessions spaced over many hours or even
days.
[0042] Accordingly, in an embodiment, a heat-not-burn tobacco
aerosolization device is provided, having a disposable mouthpiece
unit having a cup having walls that can be configured to deform
inwardly under negative inhalation pressure applied by a user, the
cup containing a wet tobacco product having at least about 65%
glycerin by weight, at least about 5% water by weight, and at least
about 15% tobacco by weight, the cup further at least partially
containing a heating element that is substantially surrounded by
and in contact with the wet tobacco product, and a base unit
including a controller configured to supply a current to the
heating element. The device can be configured to, during a heating
cycle lasting about one to five seconds (or values therebetween),
aerosolize the wet tobacco product at a temperature not exceeding
about 150.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco product 1 mm
from the heating element and aerosolize a liquid portion of the wet
tobacco product by boiling the liquid portion in contact with the
heating element.
[0043] The device can be configured, for example, to aerosolize the
wet tobacco product to generate an aerosolized inhalant that can be
inhaled by a user through the mouthpiece unit. The aerosolized
inhalant can have, for example, at least four times less, or at
least six time less, HPHCs than the inhaled smoke of a 3R4F
traditional cigarette. The device can be configured to, for
example, during a heating cycle lasting about one to five seconds
(or values therebetween), aerosolize the wet tobacco product at a
temperature not exceeding about 100.degree. C., 120.degree. C., or
140.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco 1 mm from the heating
element. The wet tobacco product in the device can have a
viscosity, for example, of about 10,000 to 50,000 cp, or from about
20,000 to 40,000 cp. The wet tobacco product can consist of, or
consist essentially of, for example, tobacco, glycerin and water.
In an aspect, the wet tobacco product does not contain propylene
glycol.
[0044] The mouthpiece unit can, for example, enclose the cup and
can include a surface that substantially seals an open end of the
cup and includes an aperture which leaves the wet tobacco product
partially exposed. In an aspect, the wet tobacco product does not
comprise additional nicotine not present in the tobacco leaves used
to make the wet tobacco product. The wet tobacco product can, for
example, have processed tobacco leaves, and the aerosolized
inhalant can include no carcinogen that is not naturally present in
an aerosol produced by aerosolizing only the processed tobacco
leaves at the same temperature.
[0045] In another aspect, a heat-not-burn tobacco aerosolization
device is provided, having a disposable mouthpiece unit having a
cup which contains a wet tobacco product having a viscosity of
about 10,000 to 50,000 cp and having at least about 65% glycerin by
weight, at least about 5% water by weight, and at least about 15%
tobacco by weight. The cup can at least partially contain a heating
element which is substantially surrounded by and in contact with
the wet tobacco product and a base unit configured to supply a
current to the heating element. The device can, during a heating
cycle lasting one to five seconds (or values therebetween),
aerosolize the wet tobacco product at a temperature not exceeding
about 150.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco product 1 mm
from the heating element, where the device can aerosolize the wet
tobacco product to generate an aerosolized inhalant for inhalation
by a user through the mouthpiece, where the aerosolized inhalant
has at least four times less HPHCs than the inhaled smoke of a 3R4F
traditional cigarette.
[0046] In an aspect, the cup can have walls that deform inwardly
under negative inhalation pressure applied by a user. The device
can be configured to aerosolize a liquid portion of the wet tobacco
product by boiling the liquid portion in contact with the heating
element. The aerosolized inhalant can have, for example, at least
six times less HPHCs than the inhaled smoke of a 3R4F traditional
cigarette. The device can be configured to, during a heating cycle
lasting less than five seconds, aerosolize the wet tobacco product
at a temperature less than about 100.degree. C., 120.degree. C., or
140.degree. C. as measured in the wet tobacco 1 mm from the heating
element. The wet tobacco product in the device can have, for
example, a viscosity of about 20,000 to 40,000 cp. The wet tobacco
product in the device can consist of or consist essentially of, for
example, tobacco, glycerin and water. In another aspect, the wet
tobacco product does not contain propylene glycol. The mouthpiece
unit can enclose the cup and can include a surface which
substantially seals an open end of the cup and includes an aperture
which leaves the wet tobacco product partially exposed. In an
aspect, the wet tobacco product in the device does not comprise
additional nicotine other than that which is present in the tobacco
leaves used to make the wet tobacco product.
[0047] In yet another aspect, the wet tobacco product inserted into
the aerosolization and inhalation device can contain processed
tobacco leaves and the aerosolized inhalant includes no carcinogen
that is not naturally present in an aerosol produced by
aerosolizing only processed tobacco leaves at the same
temperature.
[0048] In a further aspect, the tobacco product may be wet and may
be prepared by first separating a dry leaf tobacco into grinds or
strips or pieces having a largest dimension of 50 to 2,000 microns,
or more preferably 100 to 1,000 microns. In certain embodiments,
the size of the tobacco product particles, pieces, strips, or
grounds has an average largest dimension or diameter of about
50-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700,
700-800, 800-900, 900-1,000, 1,000-1,100, 1,100-1,200, 1,200-1,300,
1,300-1,400, 1,400-1,500, 1,500-1,600, 1,600-1,700, 1,700-1,800,
1,800-1,900, or 1,900-2,000 microns.
[0049] In another aspect, the cut/ground tobacco may be mixed with
a solvent or "suspension agent" such as glyercin or, less
preferably, propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol, polysorbate
80 and mixtures thereof. The ratio of tobacco to suspension agent
(w/w) can be from about 3:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1.2:1, 1:1, 1:1:1.2,
1:1.5, 1:2 or 1:3 or values therebetween.
[0050] In an aspect, after the tobacco has been combined with the
suspension agent, water is optionally added to the mixture. For
example, in an embodiment, from about 1%, 5%, 7%, 10%, 15%, 20%,
25%, 30%, 40%, 50% or 60% water (w/w) can be added to the
mixture.
[0051] In yet another aspect, the resulting wet tobacco product
that is inserted into the heat-not-burn device is organic and is a
mixture of three components: water, glycerin, and tobacco. The
tobacco product can include about 20-25, 25-30, 30-35, 35-40,
40-55, 50-55, 55-60, 60-65, 60-65, 65-70, 70-75, or 75-80% glycerin
by weight. The tobacco product can include about 1-5, 5-10, 10-15,
15-20, 20-25, 25-30, 30-35, 35-40, or 40-50% water by weight or
values therebetween. The tobacco product can include about 1-5, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25-30,
30-35, 35-40, or 40-50% tobacco by weight or values therebetween.
In a currently preferred embodiment, the product consists of about
65-75% glycerin, 5-15% water, and 20% tobacco by weight or values
therebetween.
[0052] In another aspect, the tobacco product composition is of a
flowable, relatively thick jam-like consistency. The viscosity of
the tobacco product may be between about 5,000 and 80,000 cp. In
various embodiments, the viscosity is about 5,000-10,000,
10,000-20,000, 20,000 to 30,000, 30,000 to 40,000, 40,000-50,000,
50,000 to 60,000, 60,000 to 70,000, or 70,000 to 80,000 cp. In the
embodiment which is currently most preferred, the viscosity is
between about 20,000 and 50,000 cp.
[0053] The forgoing general description of the illustrative
implementations and the following detailed description thereof are
merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure and
are not restrictive. As noted above, certain embodiments within the
scope of this disclosure and the claims may not provide the
particular advantages set forth above. That said, the most
preferred embodiments provide many, most or all of the foregoing
advantages relative to conventional heat-not-burn and vaping
devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more
embodiments and, together with the description, explain these
embodiments. The accompanying drawings have not necessarily been
drawn to scale. Any values or dimensions illustrated in the
accompanying graphs and figures are for illustration purposes only
and may or may not represent actual or preferred values or
dimensions. Where applicable, some or all features may not be
illustrated to assist in the description of underlying features. In
the drawings:
[0055] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are pictures of a conventional tobacco
product used in an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS)
heat-not-burn device;
[0056] FIG. 2 is an illustration of the conventional IQOS Heatstick
heat-not-burn device;
[0057] FIG. 3 is an illustration of the conventional GLO
heat-not-burn device;
[0058] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the conventional PLOOM
heat-not-burn device;
[0059] FIG. 5 is an illustration of the conventional JUUL vaping
device;
[0060] FIG. 6 a flow diagram illustrating an example method for
preparing a tobacco and/or other plant material suspension;
[0061] FIG. 7A is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for
preparing a tobacco suspension;
[0062] FIG. 7B is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for
preparing disposable tobacco delivery units filled with a tobacco
suspension;
[0063] FIGS. 8A through 8C illustrate an example electronic tobacco
delivery device for receiving and heating a tobacco suspension;
[0064] FIG. 8D illustrates an example delivery unit for use with an
electronic unit of an electronic tobacco delivery device such as
the device of FIG. 8A;
[0065] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B illustrate a first example external
design of an electronic tobacco delivery device;
[0066] FIG. 9C and FIG. 9D illustrate a second example external
design of an electronic tobacco delivery device;
[0067] FIGS. 10A-10E illustrate exploded views of the components of
example electronic tobacco delivery devices;
[0068] FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B illustrate example cup and cap designs
of an electronic tobacco delivery device for receiving and holding
a tobacco suspension;
[0069] FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded view of the components of
another example electronic tobacco delivery device;
[0070] FIG. 13 illustrates an exploded view of the components of
yet another example electronic tobacco delivery device; and
[0071] FIG. 14 illustrates an exploded view of capping elements for
use with an example electronic tobacco delivery device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0072] The description set forth below in connection with the
appended drawings is intended to be a description of various
illustrative embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Specific
features and functionalities are described in connection with each
illustrative embodiment; however, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be practiced
without each of those specific features and functionalities.
[0073] Reference throughout the specification to "one embodiment"
or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter
disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment"
or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout the
specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.
Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may
be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
Further, it is intended that embodiments of the disclosed subject
matter cover modifications and variations thereof.
[0074] All patents, applications, published applications and other
publications referred to herein are incorporated by reference for
the referenced material and in their entireties.
[0075] It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the
appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include
plural referents unless the context expressly dictates otherwise.
That is, unless expressly specified otherwise, as used herein the
words "a," "an," "the," and the like carry the meaning of "one or
more." Additionally, it is to be understood that terms such as
"left," "right," "top," "bottom," "front," "rear," "side,"
"height," "length," "width," "upper," "lower," "interior,"
"exterior," "inner," "outer," and the like that may be used herein
merely describe points of reference and do not necessarily limit
embodiments of the present disclosure to any particular orientation
or configuration. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second,"
"third," etc., merely identify one of a number of portions,
components, steps, operations, functions, and/or points of
reference as disclosed herein, and likewise do not necessarily
limit embodiments of the present disclosure to any particular
configuration or orientation.
[0076] Furthermore, the terms "approximately," "about,"
"proximate," "minor variation," and similar terms generally refer
to ranges that include the identified value within a margin of 20%,
10% or preferably 5% in certain embodiments, and any values
therebetween.
[0077] The term "tobacco curing" refers to the partial drying of
tobacco leaves once they are picked. The cellular contents, such as
carotenoids, chlorophyll, and other components of the leaf
partially degrade to become a more palatable form than would be
present in fresh tobacco. The process can occur, for example, by
air curing, flue curing, sun curing, fire curing and fermentation
curing (such as perique). The process takes from a few days to
several weeks, and months in the case of fermentation curing,
depending on the method used.
[0078] The term "organic" or "organically grown" refers to tobacco
leaves that are grown under organic standards, such as by allowing
the use of naturally occurring substances to enhance growth or
decrease pests, while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic
substances that are placed on the plant or the soil in which it is
grown.
[0079] The term "pesticide free" refers to tobacco leaves that have
not been treated with a pesticide during their growing season.
[0080] The term "glycerin" (also termed glycerol or
propane-1,2,3-triol) is a three-carbon compound with three alcohol
groups. It is a sweet-tasting, viscous, non-toxic and substantially
colorless liquid.
[0081] The term "propylene glycol" (also termed propane-1,2-diol)
refers to a three-carbon compound with two alcohol groups. It is a
viscous and substantially colorless liquid.
[0082] All of the functionalities described in connection with one
embodiment are intended to be applicable to the additional
embodiments described below except where expressly stated or where
the feature or function is incompatible with the additional
embodiments. For example, where a given feature or function is
expressly described in connection with one embodiment but not
expressly mentioned in connection with an alternative embodiment,
it should be understood that the inventor intends that that feature
or function may be deployed, utilized or implemented in connection
with the alternative embodiment unless the feature or function is
incompatible with the alternative embodiment.
[0083] An illustrative process 100 for preparing the exemplified
tobacco product is shown in FIG. 6. Turning to FIG. 6, in some
embodiments, the process 100 begins with curing and/or drying
tobacco and/or another plant material (102). If two or more plant
materials are used, such as both a tobacco and an herb, each plant
material may be cured or dried separately to reach a desired
state.
[0084] In some embodiments, the whole leaf tobacco material, or
only the lamina section of the tobacco leaf, is cut or ground
(104). Example processes for cutting, grinding, or mincing tobacco
and/or other plant materials are provided below. If two or more
plant materials are used, such as both a whole leaf or lamina only
tobacco and a whole leaf or lamina only herb, each plant material
may be cut or ground separately to reach a desired size and/or
shape.
[0085] In some embodiments, the suspension component is measured
(106). Measurements can be implemented, for example, on a weight to
weight basis. In one example the suspension component is glycerin
and is measured as 1 g glycerin to 1 g tobacco. In order to be
suitable for both small-scale and large-scale preparations, these
amounts are generally shown herein as a ratio of the weight of the
tobacco to the weight of the suspension component. Examples of
suspension components that can be used are presented below. In
various embodiments, the ratio of the tobacco and/or other plant
material to the suspension component(s) can be 1:10, 1:5, 1:2, 2:3,
3:2, 2:1, 5:1, or 10:1 by weight or values therebetween.
[0086] The suspension component, in some implementations, is added
(108) to the cut/ground tobacco/and or other plant material. In
some embodiments, the preparation contains only the suspension
component and the tobacco/and or other plant material, without the
presence of other added ingredients. In some embodiments, this may
be preferred by the user as a more "pure" or "natural" preparation.
In preferred implementations, the tobacco and/or herb and the
resulting tobacco product mixture is organic.
[0087] Alternatively, in some embodiments, additional ingredients
are included (110). Care should be taken when using PG as a
suspension component in combination with added flavorants. As
discussed above, heating of these two components in the presence of
one another is known to produce acetals.
[0088] In some embodiments, the tobacco and/or other plant material
is then mixed to form a suspension mixture (114). The mixing step
can occur at various mixing speeds, at various temperatures, and in
various types of processing apparatus. The mixing can occur
intermittently, and the ingredients can be added all at once, or
step by step. In some implementations, some ingredients are
pre-mixed together and then mixed into the suspension mixture.
[0089] In one embodiment that may be used to prepare the tobacco
product exemplified herein, the tobacco product is the tobacco
and/or herb product is heated at a pressure of 5-20 atmospheres in
the presence of distilled, purified or tap water at a temperature
of 85-100.degree. C. for a duration of 5-60 minutes optionally with
low speed mixing (10-100 rpm). Thereafter the tobacco product is
then removed from the water bath and dried, optionally under
radiant heat for one hour. The product is then cut or ground into
strips or pieces having a largest dimension of 50 to 2,000 microns,
or more preferably 100 to 1,000 microns. Thereafter the cut or
ground tobacco and/or herb product is combined with the water in
which the tobacco and/or herb product was mixed ground tobacco
product about 1:1 by weight with glycerin and allowed to sit for
one hour.
[0090] In some embodiments, the suspension mixture is then
portioned into packaging (116) for use with an electronic delivery
device. This portioning process can occur, for example, by means of
an automated machine, or by hand, or another delivery device.
[0091] Although described as a particular series of operations, in
other embodiments, more or fewer steps may be involved, or the
steps may be conducted in a different order. For example, in some
embodiments, a plant material may be cut (104) prior to drying
(102). In further embodiments, one or more of the additional
ingredients (110), such as a preservative or flavor, may be added
to the plant material prior to or after cutting and grinding (104)
and before adding the plant material to the suspension (108).
Rather than adding a measure of tobacco to the suspension
components (108), in alternative embodiments, a measure of
suspension components may be added to the plant material. Other
modifications of the process 100 are possible while remaining
within the scope and the intent of the process 100.
[0092] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are flow charts showing another example
processes 200 and 220 for preparing the materials and portioning
into a packaged container. Turning now to FIG. 7A, in some
implementations, the process 200 begins with curing and/or drying
the tobacco (202) to have a reduction in moisture of at least 20%
compared to fresh picked leaves. Several types of tobacco curing
and/or drying processes can be used. In addition to whole tobacco
leaves or the lamina sections of a tobacco leaf, other parts of the
tobacco plant, such as stems, flowers, stalks, and roots can also
be used. Ingredients can be added to the tobacco to improve the
flavor during the curing process.
[0093] In some embodiments, the tobacco is cut or ground into
pieces of less than two millimeters (204). The tobacco can also be
ground to a rough or fine powder. Mixtures of tobacco pieces of
different sizes can also be used. For example, a mixture of both
ground tobacco powder and leaf pieces having an average size of
about 1 mm can be used.
[0094] In some embodiments, a suspension component is measured
(206), and the tobacco is added so that a ratio of tobacco to
suspension components is from about 1:2 to 2:1 (208). The
measurement can be done on a weight to weight basis. Alternatively,
a volume measurement can be used. In an embodiment, the tobacco is
mixed in a 1:1 ratio (w/w) with glycerin as the suspension
component.
[0095] In some embodiments, the ingredients are mixed to form a
suspension mixture (214). The mixing can occur over various
temperatures. The mixing can occur, for example, at various mixing
speeds. The ingredients can be added all at once, or one by one. In
an embodiment, the ingredients are incorporated at a slow speed,
then the speed is increased once the initial mixing occurs. The
mixing can be performed, for example, by hand, by use of a machine,
by use of an automated system, or a combination of these.
[0096] The various steps or preparing the tobacco suspension
mixture can occur at different times, or in different combinations.
For example, the tobacco cutting/pulverizing step can occur during
the mixing process, if desired (such as by using a blender type
apparatus for processing). The ratios of components can be adjusted
as needed. The viscosity can be modified as needed, for example,
for ease of packaging or for optimal delivery of the mixture to the
user.
[0097] Turning to FIG. 7B (220), in some embodiments, the
suspension mixture is portioned for packing into a disposable
delivery unit of an electronic tobacco delivery system (222). The
portioning process can be performed manually, or with machine
assistance, or by an automated means. The portioning process can
occur at room temperature, or at other various temperatures.
[0098] In some embodiments, the portion is encased (224) in a
material, by wrapping or surrounding the suspension mixture in a
non-toxic burnable (or dissolvable) material (226).
[0099] In some embodiments, the portion of suspension mixture is
deposited into a cup of a disposable delivery unit that is
proximate to a heating element (228). Example cups, in particular,
are illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B. The individual portions can
also be packaged in multiple portions, such as by using a "unit
dose pack" or a "blister pack" to help keep individual portions
stable and moist prior to use.
[0100] In some embodiments, the suspension mixture is contained by
capping the cup with a mouthpiece section of the disposable
delivery unit (230). As illustrated in FIGS. 8B and 8C, for
example, a cup 312 (illustrated in an open view in FIG. 8B) may be
provided for insertion of the suspension mixture. The cup 312 may
then be capped by a section 310, resulting in the suspension
mixture being held within the cup 312 beneath a cap section 316, as
described in further detail below. Additional examples are
illustrated in and described in relation to FIGS. 10A-D.
[0101] In some embodiments, the disposable delivery unit(s) are
provided for sale with a corresponding electronic unit configured
to releasably engage with the disposable delivery unit as an
electronic tobacco delivery system (232). Example delivery devices
are provided in FIGS. 8-13, described in greater detail below. The
electronic unit, for example, may be sold with one or more
disposable delivery units. Further, disposable delivery units may
be sold individually or in packages for interoperable use with the
electronic portion. Different suspensions may be sold individually
or in multi-packs for users to sample different tobacco strains,
cure types, flavors, suspension compositions (e.g., organic,
flavored, scented, herb infused, etc.) with the electronic tobacco
delivery system. Disposable units having two or more mouthpiece
designs, such as the designs illustrated in FIGS. 8-13, may be
available for interoperable use with a same electronic unit.
Electronic units may be sold in different colors, materials, and/or
designs to suit individuals' tastes. In additional implementations,
a charging cord and/or docking unit may be sold with the electronic
tobacco delivery system for recharging a battery with the base
unit.
[0102] Various tobacco strains or mixtures thereof can be used to
prepare the processed tobacco, including flue-cured tobacco,
cigar-wrapper-binder, burley tobacco, Maryland, oriental tobacco,
Pennsylvania, Cameroon, Cuban, Maduro, Negra, dark air-cured,
fire-cured, reconstituted tobacco and processed tobacco stems or
other parts of the whole tobacco plant.
[0103] Thus, in an embodiment, the tobacco is from Nicotiana
tabacum, Nicotiana rustica, or a combination thereof. Several other
species of Nicotiana can be used, either alone or in combination
with other species. These other species include but are not limited
to Nicotiana acaulis, Nicotiana acuminata, Nicotiana alata,
Nicotiana ameghinoi, Nicotiana arentsii, Nicotiana attenuata,
Nicotiana azambujae, Nicotiana benavidesii, Nicotiana bonariensis,
Nicotiana clevelandii, Nicotiana cordifolia, Nicotiana excelsior,
Nicotiana forgetiana, Nicotiana glauca, Nicotiana glutinosa,
Nicotiana knightiana, Nicotiana langsdorfii, Nicotiana linearis,
Nicotiana longibracteata, Nicotiana longiflora, Nicotiana miersii,
Nicotiana mutabilis, Nicotiana noctiflora, Nicotiana obtusifolia,
Nicotiana otophora, Nicotiana palmeri, Nicotiana paniculata,
Nicotiana pauciflora, Nicotiana petunioides, Nicotiana
plumbaginifolia, Nicotiana raimondii, Nicotiana repanda, Nicotiana
rosulata, Nicotiana setchellii, Nicotiana solanifolia, Nicotiana
sylvestris, Nicotiana thyrsiflora, Nicotiana tomentosa, Nicotiana
trigonophylla, Nicotiana undulata, and Nicotiana wigandioides, or
other nicotine-containing plants of the Solanaceae family,
including but not limited to the Hopwoodii tree and other
indigenous plants of Australasia and South America.
[0104] In a currently preferred embodiment, organic tobacco is used
to the prepare the wet tobacco product. In an embodiment, the
process may utilize organic (non-chemically altered) tobacco to
ensure an optimally healthier product to an end-user.
[0105] The natural nicotine content of the tobacco material may
depend upon the agronomic conditions under which the tobacco plant
is grown as well as the genetics of the tobacco variety. The
nicotine content in tobacco leaf material is typically about
1%-1.5% (10-15 mg nicotine per gram of tobacco). However, tobacco
varieties such as those designated by the United States
Agricultural Department (USDA) as Type 35, Type 36, or Type 37 have
a high nicotine content. The tobacco species Nicotiana rustica
often also has natural nicotine content in the range of about
6%-10%. Further, commercial lines of flue-cured tobacco, designated
by the USDA as Types 11-34, and Burley tobacco, designated by the
USDA as Type 31, have naturally high nicotine content, particularly
in the leaves of the upper stalk.
[0106] In an embodiment, the tobacco material has a nicotine
content of about 0.1%-1%, 1%-2%, 2%-3%, 3%-4%, 4%-5%, 5%-6%, 6%-7%,
7%-8%, 8%-9%, 9%-10%, 10%-11%, 11%-12%, 12%-13%, 13%-14%, 14%-15%,
15%-16%, 17%-18%, 18%-19% or 19%-20%. In yet another embodiment,
less than 0.1% or no nicotine is present in the tobacco.
[0107] Other types of plants can be used, in addition to or instead
of tobacco. Examples include but are not limited to tea leaves,
mint leaves, sage, yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica), yerba
manta, marshmallow, rose petals, mullein, catnip, clover, Cannabis
sp., cloves, and other suitable herbal plants. The plants, for
example, may be selected for particular holistic or medicinal
value. In another example, the plants may be selected for flavor or
scent purposes. In a further example, the plants may be selected
for traditional, religious, or ethnic value, such as native plants
used in ceremonial smoking compounds by indigenous groups, such as
the Hopwoodii species of Australasia and Amazonia.
[0108] Tobacco material (leaves, lamina, stems, veins, flowers,
roots and/or midribs) can be dried, partially dried, or cured using
various means, or combinations thereof, such as air drying, vacuum
drying, microwave energy, sunlight energy, an oven, fluid bed
dryers, tray dryers, belt dryers, vacuum tray dryers, spray dryers,
and rotary dryers.
[0109] In some embodiments, the tobacco leaf drying process can be
a curing process. Among the exemplary types of cured tobacco are
flue-cured tobacco, dark air-cured tobacco, fire-cured tobacco,
reconstituted tobacco and processed tobacco stems.
[0110] The drying step can reduce the moisture in the leaves from
about 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%,
70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or greater.
[0111] The drying step or curing step can occur with constant
mixing, intermittent mixing, or without mixing of the tobacco
starting material. In some embodiments, the drying step occurs
relatively slowly, over several days, to allow natural flavors to
develop. For example, the drying step may take from about 2 hours,
8 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 14 hours, 36 hours, 48 hours, 2 weeks,
3 weeks, or 4 weeks or more. The drying step can occur at a
temperature of from about 4.degree. C., 6.degree. C., 8.degree. C.,
10.degree. C., 12.degree. C., 20.degree. C., 50.degree. C.,
70.degree. C. or more. In another embodiment the leaves are
freeze-dried to dry the material quickly without the development of
additional flavor.
[0112] In an embodiment, the temperature at which the drying step
is conducted is at or below ambient temperature. In certain
embodiments, the drying process includes heating the plant or
portions thereof at elevated temperature. The temperature can
range, from about room temperature to about 200.degree. C. In
another embodiment, the tobacco can be dried using a freeze-drying
step.
[0113] Although described in relation to tobacco material, in
certain embodiments, various processing means may be used to
process other types of plants, for example plants identified
above.
[0114] The tobacco used in this process can be cut to various
sizes, using several types of cutting means. Also, the
grinding/cutting action applied to the raw tobacco leaves may be
performed manually or via machine means.
[0115] Exemplary cutting means include but are not limited to
blending, grinding, pulverizing, mincing, shredding, milling,
pulverizing and chopping. The tobacco pieces can be cut to various
sizes. For example, the pieces can have an average diameter of from
about 0.1 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.75 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm, 2
mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and about 5 mm. In some embodiments, the tobacco
can also be ground into the form of a powder. A combination of
cutting, grinding, or pulverizing means can also be utilized. In
another embodiment, the tobacco can be a combination of small
pieces and finely ground tobacco.
[0116] The dried tobacco product may be cut or ground into strips
or pieces having a largest dimension of 50-2,000 microns, or more
preferably 100-1,000 microns. In certain embodiments, the size of
the tobacco product particles, pieces, strips, or grounds has an
average largest dimension or diameter of about 50-100, 100-200,
200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900,
900-1,000, 1,000-1,100, 1,100-1,200, 1,200-1,300, 1,300-1,400,
1,400-1,500, 1,500-1,600, 1,600-1,700, 1,700-1,800, 1,800-1,900, or
1,900-2000 microns.
[0117] Although described in relation to tobacco, in certain
embodiments, the cutting means may be used to cut other types of
plants, as listed in examples provided above.
[0118] To prepare the tobacco product, the cut/ground tobacco
discussed above is mixed with a solvent or "suspension agent." The
solvent or suspension agent, for example, may be in a liquid or gel
form. In another example, the solvent or suspension agent may be a
stable emulsion. Exemplary solvents or suspension agents include
but are not limited to water, propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene
glycol, vegetable oil, glycerin and polysorbate 80 and mixtures
thereof. In a currently preferred embodiment, the solvent or
suspension agent is pure glycerin.
[0119] The ratio of tobacco to suspension agent (w/w) can be from
about 3:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1.2:1, 1:1, 1:1:1.2, 1:1.5, 1:2 or 1:3 or
values therebetween. In a currently preferred embodiment, the ratio
is about 1:1.
[0120] In an embodiment, after the tobacco has been combined with
the suspension agent, water is optionally added to the mixture. For
example, in an embodiment, from about 1%, 5%, 7%, 10%, 15%, 20%,
25%, 30%, 40%, 50% or 60% water (w/w) can be added to the
mixture.
[0121] In a currently preferred embodiment, the final resulting
tobacco product which is inserted into the heat-not-burn device is
organic and is a mixture of three components: water, glycerin, and
tobacco. The tobacco product can include about 20%-25%, 25%-30%,
30%-35%, 35%-40%, 40%-55%, 50%-55%, 5%5-60%, 60%-65%, 60%-65%,
65%-70%, 70%-75%, or 75%-80% glycerin by weight. The tobacco
product can include about 1%-5%, 5%-10%, 10%-15%, 15%-20%, 20%-25%,
25%-30%, 30%-35%, 35%-40%, or 40%-50% water by weight or values
therebetween. The tobacco product can include about 1%-5%, 5%-10%,
11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%,
24%, 25%-30%, 30%-35%, 35%-40%, or 40%-50% tobacco by weight or
values therebetween. In a currently preferred embodiment, the
product consists of about 65%-75% glycerin, 5%-15% water, and 20%
tobacco by weight or values therebetween.
[0122] In a currently preferred embodiment, the composition is of a
flowable, relatively thick jam-like consistency. The viscosity of
the tobacco product may be between about 5,000 and 80,000 cp. In
various embodiments, the viscosity is about 5,000-10,000,
10,000-20,000, 20,000-30,000, 30,000-40,000, 40,000-50,000, 50,000
to 60,000, 60,000-70,000, or 70,000-80,000 cp. In the embodiment
which is currently most preferred, the viscosity is between about
20,000-50,000 cp.
[0123] The amount of tobacco product inserted in the cup of each
delivery device may be about 0.1-0.25, 0.25-0.5, 0.5-0.75, 1,
1-1.25, 1.25-1.5, 1.5-1.75, 1.75-2, 2-2.25, 2.25-2.5, 2.5-2.75,
2.75-3.0, 3-3.25, 3.25-3.5, 3.5-3.75, 3.75-4, 4-4.25, or 4.25-4.5
grams. Currently preferred embodiments use about 1-2.5 mg tobacco
product in each cup of a delivery device.
[0124] In contrast to conventional heat-not-burn devices, the most
preferred embodiments exemplified herein contain about 20% of
tobacco material by finished weight. IQOS and other heat-not-burn
devices contain about 25-35% tobacco by weight. Even moist tobacco
products such as snuff and hookah tobacco use substantially
different tobacco content. Moist snuff typically contains about
24%-35% tobacco by weight and hookah tobacco typically contains
around 10-15% tobacco by weight. Whereas wet hookah tobacco is
typically cut into strips, the embodiments exemplified herein
utilize a wet tobacco product formed from ground tobacco
leaves.
[0125] In contrast to the exemplified embodiments, conventional
heat-not-burn devices use dry tobacco product in order to promote
heating and aerosolization of the tobacco product. Aerosolization
of the tobacco product requires air, and thus each of the
conventional products provided dry tobacco product through which
air can flow relatively freely, as in a traditional cigarette. In
conventional vaping devices, wicks are used to draw
nicotine-containing liquid into an air stream which ensures that
the liquid is fully aerated during the aerosolization process.
[0126] Immersing the heating element in a wet mixture of tobacco
and suspension agent(s) was not previously considered feasible
because the wet tobacco product was expected to smother the heating
element and impede or prevent effective aerosolization. Indeed, the
applicant has found that in many potential embodiments the heating
element is in fact smothered.
[0127] As shown below in Comparative Example 1, if the tobacco
product is too wet or too much of it surrounds the heating element,
one or more of the following problems are encountered. First, as
noted above the heating element may be smothered, preventing
effective aerosolization. In the absence of oxygen, pyrolysis
causes decomposition of the tobacco product proximate the heating
element which substantially impedes or prevents the desired
aerosolization of the tobacco product. A layer of decomposed or
carbonized tobacco product may cover the heating element,
essentially terminating the desired aerosolization process.
[0128] Second, only a small portion of the wet mixture of tobacco
and suspension agent(s) (hereinafter alternatively called the "the
tobacco product") may be consumed relative to the total amount
contained in the cup, pod or reservoir. Even if some aerosolization
occurs, much or most of the tobacco product may be wasted.
[0129] Third, the aerosolization may occur for an insufficient
number of puffs before the foregoing mechanisms bring the desired
aerosolization process to a halt. For example, use of a mixture
tobacco and suspension agent(s) that is too wet or too dry may
produce a result wherein the user can achieve only 1-5, 1-10 or
1-20 puffs per cup, pod or dose, which is typically 1-3 grams of
tobacco product as discussed above. Although that may be equivalent
to a cigarette and the IQOS device, it still leaves much of the
tobacco product unused and is therefore less desirable. By
controlling the viscosity of the tobacco product as taught herein,
the tobacco product and device disclosed herein may provide 10, 20,
30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 or 120 puffs per gram of
tobacco product or values therebetween. In the most preferred
embodiments, 120 puffs per gram of tobacco product are produced.
That exceeds the puffs-per-gram achieved by conventional
heat-not-burn devices by a at least a factor of three.
[0130] Fourth, the heating element may need to be raised to an
elevated temperature, such as approaching or exceeding 300 degrees
Celsius, in order for aerosolization to occur. At such
temperatures, elevated levels of HPHCs are typically produced.
According to research published by a large tobacco manufacturer,
relative to cigarette smoking HPHCs are reduced in heat-not-burn
devices by 99% if the tobacco product is heated to only 150.degree.
C., by 95% if the tobacco product is heated to only 200.degree. C.,
by 93% if the tobacco product is heated to only 220.degree. C., and
by 90% if the tobacco product is heated to 300.degree. C. It can be
projected from published data that relative to cigarette smoking
HPHCs are reduced by about 80% if the tobacco product is heated to
around 400.degree. C.
[0131] It is important to note that these stated HPHC reductions
are only with respect to known HPHCs and do not account for
compounds of unknown toxicity. As discussed above, the addition of
numerous flavorants is suspected to generate acetals and many other
compounds of unknown toxicity in known heat-not-burn devices.
[0132] To restate the HPHC reductions created by use of lower
temperatures in heat-not-burn devices, heating the tobacco product
to 200.degree. C. reduces the HPHC production by a factor of two
relative to heating the tobacco product to 300.degree. C. and a
factor of four relative to heating the tobacco product to about
400.degree. C. Heating the tobacco product to 100.degree. C.
reduces the HPHC production by a factor of three relative to
heating the tobacco product to 300.degree. C. and a factor of six
relative to heating the tobacco product to about 400.degree. C.
[0133] Again, the actual reduction is likely far greater when one
considers the fact that lower temperature heating also reduces the
production of many compounds of unknown toxicity. For example,
acetals produced by heating PG in the presence of common flavorants
as in the IQOS product are believed to be carcinogenic.
[0134] The applicant has discovered that, surprisingly, it is
possible to aerosolize wet tobacco product even when the heating
element is substantially surrounded by the wet tobacco product. The
applicant also discovered that, in order to achieve aerosolization
of wet tobacco product, it is advantageous to carefully control the
viscosity of the composition and the manner in which it contacts
the heating element and to simultaneously control the construction
and mechanism of operation of the pod contained in the inhaling
device.
[0135] Applicant found that at certain wet tobacco viscosities it
is possible to enclose the tobacco product with a deformable or
collapsible pod that substantially enhances the aerosolization of
the tobacco product. For instance, a pod having a silicone cup with
a wall thickness on the order of 1 mm may be used. Alternatively,
wall thicknesses may be about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7,
0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9 or 2.0
mm or values therebetween.
[0136] While not wishing to be bound to a particular theory, it is
believed that during inhalation the pod wall partially collapses or
changes shape, thereby drawing the wet tobacco product into
intimate contact with the heating element. The flexible walls of
the pod are pulled inward by the suction provided by the
inhalation. The walls are preferably designed to deform at a
negative pressure of about 1 to 20 millibar (mb). In various
embodiments, the pod walls deform at a pressure of about 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50
mb or values therebetween.
[0137] After suction is removed, the pod expands to its original
shape, which advantageously draws air into the interstices of the
high viscosity tobacco product. The viscosity of the tobacco
product is advantageously controlled to be around 10,000 to 50,000
cp to facilitate this mechanism of action. This process aerates the
tobacco product in a reciprocating action that is similar to that
performed by a bellows, except that the area of interest is by
analogy inside the bladder of the bellows.
[0138] During the next inhalation the user presses the button on
the device and the element is heated. The deformation of the pod
wall brings the tobacco product once again into intimate contact
with the heating element. The aerated tobacco product is then ready
for another aerosolization step, which typically lasts several
seconds as the user inhales while pressing the button to activate
the heating element.
[0139] In this fashion the pod wall can substantially improve the
aeration and aerosolization of the tobacco product. Careful control
of these parameters has been shown to generate a three-fold
improvement in tobacco product aerosolization/usage which in turn
creates a more satisfying vapor and better taste. That, in turn,
provides a degree of user satisfaction that is sufficient to
displace or replace smoking of traditional cigarettes. Conventional
heat-not-burn devices have been unsuccessful in this regard, in
substantial part due to their inferior aerosolization and increased
HPHC production.
[0140] The devices described herein are in the most preferred
embodiments capable of achieving aerosolization at very low
temperatures, on the order of 100.degree. C. which reduces HPHCs as
much as 4, 5 or 6 times or more relative to conventional
heat-not-burn products such as IQOS. The overall reduction of
actual carcinogens (i.e., known HPHCs and compounds of unknown
toxicity that are in fact carcinogenic) is likely much greater, on
the order of 7, 8, 9 or 10 times or greater.
[0141] In preferred embodiments, the user presses the heater button
for about one to five seconds (or values therebetween), while
inhaling, which produces a "puff" about one to three seconds of
durations because the aerosolization process begins almost
immediately upon application of heat, when the tobacco product
achieves a temperature of about 75-85.degree. C., which occurs
about 0.5 second into the process. A puff or heating cycle (the
period during which the user depresses the heating button and
inhales) may last about 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4.5, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9 or 10 seconds or values therebetween. In a further preferred
embodiment, a puff or heating cycle may last for about five seconds
or less.
[0142] Over the course of the heating process the temperature of
the tobacco product about one millimeter from the heating element
is elevated to a temperature of about 125.degree. C. In certain
embodiments, over the course of the heating process the temperature
of the tobacco product about one millimeter from the heating
element is elevated to a temperature of about 100.degree. C.,
110.degree. C., 120.degree. C., 130.degree. C., 140.degree. C.,
150.degree. C., 160.degree. C., 170.degree. C., 180.degree. C.,
190.degree. C., 200.degree. C., 210.degree. C., 220.degree. C.,
230.degree. C., 240.degree. C., or 250.degree. C. or values
therebetween. In certain embodiments, over the course of the
heating process the temperature of the tobacco product about two
millimeters from the heating element is elevated to a temperature
of about 100.degree. C., 110.degree. C., 120.degree. C.,
130.degree. C., 140.degree. C., 150.degree. C., 160.degree. C.,
170.degree. C., 180.degree. C., 190.degree. C., 200.degree. C.,
210.degree. C., 220.degree. C., 230.degree. C., 240.degree. C., or
250.degree. C. or values therebetween. In certain embodiments, over
the course of the heating process the temperature of the tobacco
product within 0.5 mm of the heating element is elevated to a
temperature of about 100.degree. C., 110.degree. C., 120.degree.
C., 130.degree. C., 140.degree. C., 150.degree. C., 160.degree. C.,
170.degree. C., 180.degree. C., 190.degree. C., 200.degree. C.,
210.degree. C., 220.degree. C., 230.degree. C., 240.degree. C. or
250.degree. C. or values therebetween.
[0143] As noted above, increased temperatures may result in
increased emissions of harmful products. Thus in certain
embodiments the heating controller may be configured to supply heat
only for a certain period of time after the button is depressed,
for instance about 0.5, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75 or 2 seconds or values
therebetween, to limit the heating of the tobacco product to a
desired temperature range of about 100.degree. C. to 125.degree. C.
Alternatively, current to the heating element may be turned on and
off during a single button press to permit heat to more evenly
distribute throughout the tobacco product. The wet tobacco product
enhances heat transfer laterally throughout the tobacco product,
which permits more uniform heating of the tobacco product. That in
turn allows the tobacco product to be aerosolized preferentially at
a relatively low and controlled temperature compared to known
heat-not-burn devices.
[0144] While not wishing to be bound to a particular theory, it is
believed that there are two mechanisms of action in the currently
preferred embodiments. First, the solid ground tobacco product
(which contains both glycerin and water) is heated and aerosolized.
Second, at the interface of the heating element and the liquid
suspension agent (which is mixture of glycerin, water and natural
components dissolved from the ground tobacco) boils. This can occur
at temperatures of 101.degree. C. to 170.degree. C., depending on
the relative concentrations of glycerin, water, and other solutes.
In certain embodiments, this boiling occurs about 110.degree.
C.-120.degree. C., 120.degree. C.-130.degree. C., 130.degree.
C.-140.degree. C., 140.degree. C.-150.degree. C., 150.degree.
C.-160.degree. C. or 160.degree. C.-170.degree. C. or values
therebetween. In this embodiment, this boiling effect may be highly
localized to the heating element, depending on the viscosity and
composition combined with the level of agitation of the tobacco
material in the liquid caused by suction and release on inhalation,
thereby contributing to the overall aerosolization process without
substantially increasing HPHC emission caused by excessive heating
or pyrolysis of the tobacco product as in conventional
heat-not-burn devices.
[0145] This dual mechanism of action (aerosolization of both solid
tobacco product and liquid containing water, natural tobacco
extract and glycerin) is unique to the embodiments described herein
and is distinct from existing heat-not-burn products. As discussed
above, conventional heat-not-burn products provide the tobacco
product in a dry form that permits active flow of air or a mixture
of air and water vapor through a heated dry tobacco product during
inhalation.
[0146] The exemplified embodiments are also a fundamental departure
from known vaping products, which use a wicking system to bring
nicotine containing liquid into an air stream where it is heated.
Also, in contrast to conventional vaping products, the aerosolized
product is real tobacco and contains no added nicotine. This avoids
the increased risk of addiction and short-term health effects
reported in connection with modern vaping devices.
[0147] Also, unlike conventional heat-not-burn or vaping products,
currently preferred embodiments described herein provide an
improved taste and user experience that is more likely to replace
smoking of traditional cigarettes, which is the stated goal of
heat-not-burn devices. Preferred embodiments of the instant
invention provide an improved taste and user experience that is
likely to replace traditional cigarettes without the added
nicotine, associated addiction risk, and short-term health effects
of vaping and without the elevated HPHC levels associated with
conventional heat-not-burn devices.
[0148] As detailed in the examples section below, in a smoke test
involving twenty-one participants who sampled the IQOS Heatstick
and an embodiment of the invention exemplified herein, the product
of the invention was deemed to provide far improved taste and ease
of use. As to taste, on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being best) IQOS
received a rating of 1.27 (1 being worst) and the embodiment of the
invention exemplified herein was given a rating of 4.55 (5 being
best). For ease of use, IQOS received a rating of 1.05 (1 being
worst) compared to 4.95 (5 being best) for the preferred embodiment
of the invention exemplified herein. None of the twenty-one smoke
test participants was aware of any affiliation between the
administrator of the study and either of the products.
[0149] Use of a pasteurization process for the tobacco
advantageously preserves the tobacco product without the addition
of a preservative agent. As discussed at length above, heating of
mixtures of compounds to temperatures in excess of 100.degree. C.
can produce carcinogenic compounds and compounds of unknown
toxicity. Thus, it is most preferred that an organic pasteurized
tobacco be utilized to prepare the tobacco product.
[0150] In some embodiments, the packaged tobacco product is used as
part of an electronic tobacco delivery system (ETDS) including an
electronic tobacco delivery device for heating and converting the
packaged tobacco product into a smoke or vapor state. Turning to
FIG. 8A, in some embodiments, an electronic tobacco delivery device
300 includes a disposable delivery portion 302 for receiving and
heating a tobacco suspension and a non-disposable body or
electronics portion 304 housing a power source and electronics for
activating a heating mechanism of the electronic tobacco delivery
device 300 to deliver a smoke or vapor to the end user via a
mouthpiece section 306 of the electronic tobacco delivery device
300. As illustrated, the delivery portion 302 is separated from the
electronics portion 304. In some implementations, the delivery
portion 302 is releasable from the electronics portion 304 to add
the tobacco product to the electronic tobacco delivery device 300.
For example, the delivery portion 302 may be releasable to refill a
product cup with more tobacco product. In some but not all
implementations, the delivery portion 302 is disposable. For
example, the delivery portion 302 may be pre-filled with tobacco
product as the tobacco product packaging and sold as a "pod" or
dose. Further to the example, after use, the delivery portion 302
may be disposed and replaced with a new delivery portion 302.
[0151] Turning to FIG. 8B, a cross-sectional view of the delivery
portion 302 illustrates a cap section 310 beneath the mouthpiece
section 306. The cap section 310, as illustrated, is designed to
nest with a product cup section 312. The wet tobacco product
described in detail above is added to the cup 312 such that the
tobacco product fills the cup 312 to the top edge of the cup and
leaves the uppermost portion of heating element 324 exposed.
[0152] The pod is dimensioned to hold a desired amount of tobacco
product and provide the desired degree and uniformity or
cyclicality of heating to the tobacco product. The overall width of
the cup 312 may be 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, or 30 mm or values therebetween. The width of the cup
(measured along the z-axis, into and out of the page in FIG. 8C)
may be 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20
mm or values therebetween. The wall of the cup 312 may be formed of
silicone and have a wall thicknesses of about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4,
0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7,
1.8, 1.9 or 2.0 mm or values therebetween.
[0153] Doses of tobacco product contained in the cup may be about
0.1-0.25, 0.25-0.5, 0.5-0.75, 1, 1-1.25, 1.25-1.5, 1.5-1.75,
1.75-2, 2-2.25, 2.25-2.5, 2.5-2.75, 2.75-3.0, 3-3.25, 3.25-3.5,
3.5-3.75, 3.75-4, 4.25, or 4.50 grams or values therebetween.
Currently preferred embodiments use about 1-2.5 mg per pod or
dose.
[0154] The volume of the cup 312 may be 100 to 15,000 mm.sup.3. In
preferred embodiments, volume of the cup 312 may be about 1,000,
1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, 5,000, 5,500,
6,500, 7,000, 7,500, 8,000, 8,500, 9,500, or 10,000 mm.sup.3 or
values therebetween.
[0155] The heating element 324 may be a 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, or 3
ohm (or values therebetween) resistive element that receives a 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 watt (or
values therebetween) supply from a battery housed in body 304. In
the embodiments exemplified herein the heating element is a 1.5
nickel chromium alloy fed by a 14 W supply of electricity from a
1200 mAh battery.
[0156] FIG. 8C illustrates the product cup section 312 nested in
the cap section 310. The cap section 310 includes an outlet 314 in
a cap 316. The outlet 314 is aligned with a mouthpiece outlet 328
to deliver smoke or vapor to the user. When nested (as in FIG. 8C),
the cap 316 may cover the cup region 312 except for an opening of
the outlet 314. The outlet 314, for example, may be round or
oval-shaped. The outlet 314 may be substantially centrally located,
as shown, within the cap section 310. To avoid spilling of tobacco
product upon tipping the electronic tobacco delivery device 300, in
some implementations, the tobacco product is produced in a manner
that achieves the viscosities discussed above. The cap 316 may be
flexible or deformable to press against one or more surfaces of the
mouthpiece section and/or the cup 312 to create a seal. The cap
316, for example, may be formed from a high temperature food grade
elastomer, such as a heat-resistant silicone, ethylene propylene
diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR), or
fluoroelastomer (FKM, FPM). Conversely, in some embodiments, an
interior wall 318 of the cap section 310 (e.g., within which the
cup 312 nests) is formed of a rigid material, such as a plastic or
metal. As illustrated in FIG. 8C, the heating element 324 is
disposed partially in the outlet of the cap 314.
[0157] Returning to FIG. 8B, in some embodiments, the cup 312 is
deformable such that it can expand to be packed with tobacco
product and then retract while the tobacco product is being
aerosolized. The deformable cup 312, for example, may urge the
tobacco product toward a heating element 324 (e.g., a heating coil)
while the electronic tobacco delivery device 308 is in use and
negative pressure is applied to the interior of the cup 312. The
cup 312, for example, may be formed from a high temperature food
grade elastomer, such as a heat-resistant silicone, ethylene
propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR), or
fluoroelastomer (FKM, FPM).
[0158] In selected embodiments, the cup 312 may be preformed to
have a shape that does not match opening 318 in that the walls are
bowed inwards toward the heating element in one or more places when
in a resting or unfilled state. In this embodiment, when the cup is
filled with tobacco product and the cup is installed into the
mouthpiece as shown in FIG. 8C, the elastic nature of the walls
will provide an inwardly biasing force on the tobacco product that
urges it toward the heating element. The amount of inwardly biasing
force will be a function of the resting configuration of the cup
walls and the extent to which they must be pushed outwards in order
to accommodate the tobacco product. This "inwardly projecting wall"
approach can be used to enhance the bellows effect described above
and in further detail below.
[0159] As illustrated, the heating coil 324 is horizontally
positioned. In other embodiments, the heating coil maybe vertically
aligned, such as a heating coil 344 shown in FIG. 8D.
[0160] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8C, in use the user presses button
308 while inhaling. The inhalation draws air through aperture 330
as indicated by the arrow therethrough. Air is drawn across the top
of heating element 324, which is preferably at least partially
exposed. The tobacco product is aerosolized, preferably according
to the dual method of action described above. During inhalation,
the wall of the cup 312 optionally bow inward and bring the tobacco
product into contact with the heating element 324. This action
becomes increasing important at certain tobacco viscosities as the
tobacco product is consumed and the cup is only partially filled
with tobacco product. In many implementations the tobacco product
proximate the heating element 324 is consumed first. The bellows
like action of the cup 312 helps bring tobacco product which may be
clinging to the walls of the cup 312 into intimate contact with the
heating element. Still further, the volume of the cup is reduced,
which will tend to cause the liquid of the glycerin/water solution
to rise higher around the heating element, which can increase the
boiling mechanism of action discussed above. The aerosolized
components of the tobacco product are carried out aperture 328 and
inhaled by the user.
[0161] When inhalation ceases, the walls of cup 312 return to their
normal shape (they are no longer bowed inward unless the cup is
designed with inwardly projecting wall), which increases the volume
of the cup and draws air into the cup area. This bellows-like
action aerates the tobacco produce in preparation for the next draw
or puff.
[0162] Turning to FIG. 8D, in some implementations, a cup 342
includes a movable floor 346 biased by one or more biasing elements
such as a coil spring 348. In other embodiments, the biasing
element(s) may include two or more coil springs, one or more leaf
springs, or other compressible shape memory material such as a
foam. The cup 342 may be deformable as described in relation to
FIG. 8B or may be formed of more rigid material, such as a rigid
heat-resistant silicone, metal, or other high temperature food
grade elastomer. When initially filled with tobacco product, the
spring 348 is in a fully compressed state. As tobacco product is
consumed, the weight against the movable floor 346 is lessened and
the movable floor 346 lifts the remaining tobacco product toward a
heating coil 344. In other embodiments, rather than using a biasing
member, the movable floor 346 may be manually raised by a user, for
example through an externally disposed actuating mechanism (e.g.,
thumb wheel, slide mechanism with detents, etc.). In this manner,
the alternative construction of FIG. 8D helps promote
aerosolization, complete consumption of the tobacco product, and
the dual mechanism of action described above.
[0163] Returning to FIG. 8B, a bottom region of the cup 312, in
some embodiments, houses a set of electrodes 320 a,b. The
electrodes 320a,b, for example, may supply electricity to the
heating element 324 from a power supply enclosed in the electronics
portion 304. For example, the electrodes 320 a,b may be in
electrical connection with one or more disposable batteries, such
as AAA or AA batteries, housed in the electronics portion 304.
Alternatively, the electrodes 320a,b may be in connection with one
or more rechargeable batteries housed in the electronics portion
304, such as a 18650 lithium ion battery, a 26650 lithium ion
battery, or a 20700 lithium ion battery. A charging port (not
illustrated) may be included in the electronics portion 304 for
recharging the rechargeable type battery.
[0164] In some embodiments, the bottom region of the cup 312 houses
one or more magnets 322a,b. The magnets 322a,b, for example, may be
used to releasably engage the delivery portion 302 with the
electronics portion 304 by magnetizing to corresponding magnets
(not illustrated) in the electronics portion 304. The magnets
322a,b, in some implementations, are two discrete magnets. In other
implementations, the magnets 322a,b are portions of a ring-shaped
magnet surrounding the electrodes 322a,b. In alternative
embodiments, a latching mechanism such as a spring latch or detent
to ensure proper alignment of the delivery portion 302 with the
electronics portion 304. For example, this may align the electrodes
properly with corresponding power connectors in the electronics
portion 304 (not illustrated).
[0165] Returning to FIG. 8A, in use, a user may depress an
activation button 308 to direct energy to the heating coil 324 of
FIGS. 8B and 8C. The activation button 308, in some embodiments, is
held down during use of the electronic tobacco delivery device 300.
The delivery of current to the heating element while the button is
depressed may be controlled as discussed above.
[0166] The cup 312 may be provided with a temperature probe to
facilitate this control. The probe may be mounted directly to an
outer surface of electrodes 320 a,b or may project to the body of
the cup interior so as to measure the temperature of the tobacco
product at a desired location consistent with the foregoing
teachings concerning aerosolization temperatures.
[0167] In some implementations, an inlet 330 in the side of the
mouthpiece region 306 draws outside air into the electronic tobacco
delivery device 300 to aerate the delivery portion 302. The inlet
330 may include a filter (not illustrated) or screen to keep out
contaminants. In other embodiments, the inlet 330 may be designed
as a collection of small inlets or openings, for example laid out
in a decorative pattern, to allow air movement within the delivery
portion 302 while reducing the likelihood of product leakage and/or
introduction of external contaminants such as pet fur.
[0168] In some implementations, the mouthpiece outlet 328 includes
a filter 330 for filtering the smoke or vapor produced by the
heating coil 324 and/or for blocking leakage of the tobacco
suspension from the cup 312. The filter 330, in some embodiments,
includes a natural or manmade fiber such as cotton. In some
embodiments, the filter includes one or more minerals such as
charcoal or carbon. In further embodiments, the filter includes
cellulose acetate (CA) nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), or a
hollow-acetate-tube (HAT). In further embodiments, the filter 330
is an electrostatic or electrolytic filter. Although illustrated as
two separate components, in further embodiments, the heating coil
324 may be combined with the filter 314 to heat and filter the
smoke or vapor prior to inhalation by the user.
[0169] FIGS. 9A through 9D illustrate alternative embodiments of an
electronic tobacco delivery similar to the device 300 of FIGS.
8A-8D. Turning to FIG. 9A, a first example electronic tobacco
delivery device 400 includes a delivery portion 402 and an
electronics portion 404. Similarly, in FIG. 9C, a second example
electronic tobacco delivery device 450 includes a delivery portion
452 and an electronics portion 454. A user's mouth is formed around
a mouthpiece region 418 (468 in FIG. 9C) of the delivery portion
402 (452) of the device 400 (450), as shown in side views 422a,b
(472a,b) and back view 424 (474), to use the device 400 (450). As
shown in a front view 420 (470), a control 408 (458) is provided
for activating an internal heating element to deliver a smoke or
vapor to the end user via an outlet 406 (456) of the mouthpiece
region 418 (pipe stem 458), as illustrated in a top view 426 and
the back view 424 (474). When inhaling, an inlet 410 (460), shown
in a first side view 422a (472a), allows the introduction of air
into the device 400 (450).
[0170] The device 400 (450), in some implementations, includes a
rechargeable battery for powering the heating element. For example,
as illustrated in a bottom view 428 (478), a charging port 412
(462) is provided for recharging an internal rechargeable
battery.
[0171] Turning to FIG. 9B-9D, the delivery portion 402 (452) is
separated from the electronics portion 404 (454). The delivery
portion 402 (452), as shown in a bottom view 438 (488), includes a
set of magnets 414a,b (464a,b) for releasably engaging the
electronics portion 404 (454) of the device 400 (450) as well as a
set of electrical contacts 416a,b (466a,b) for receiving electric
current from the electronics portion 404 (454) of the device 400
(450). The electrical contacts 416a,b (466a,b), for example, may be
connected to a heating element such as the heating coil 324 of
FIGS. 8B and 8C or the heating coil 344 of FIG. 8D. In some
embodiments, the delivery portion 402 (452) includes one or more
detents or protrusions, such as detents or protrusions 440 (490)
illustrated in each of a front view 430 (480), side views 432a,b,
(482a,b) and a back view 434 (484) of FIG. 9B (FIG. 9D). The
detents or protrusions 440 (490), for example, may mate with
corresponding detents or protrusions on an inner surface of the
electronics portion 404 (454) of the device 400 (450).
[0172] FIGS. 10A through 10E illustrate exploded views of example
components for construction of an electronic tobacco delivery
device such as the device 300 of FIGS. 8A-8D, the device 400 of
FIGS. 4A and 4B, or the device 450 of FIGS. 4C and 4D. Many
components are identical across the figures and thus are
identically labeled. Having fully described FIG. 8A, only
differences between FIG. 8A and the subsequent figure will be
discussed hereafter.
[0173] Turning to FIG. 10A, an electronic tobacco delivery device
500, in some implementations, includes a mouthpiece 502, a cup
cover 504, a heating coil 506, a cup 508, a cup base 510, a set of
magnets 512, a set of electrodes 514, an o-ring 516, a battery
bracket 518, a battery 520 connected to electronics 536 (e.g., a
printed circuit board (PCB)), and an electronics portion exterior
body 522. The components 502, 504, 506, 508, 510, 512a-d, and
514a,b, for example, may be considered to be part of the delivery
portion of the device 500, while components 518, 520, and 522 may
be considered part of the electronics portion of the device 500.
The o-ring 516 may aid in sealing against any leakage of product
(e.g., tobacco in liquid suspension) entering the electronics
portion of the device 500.
[0174] Turning to the mouthpiece portion, in some implementations,
the mouthpiece 502 is formed from a generally rigid material, such
as a polymer (e.g., plastic). The cup cover 504 is designed to nest
in a bottom portion of the mouthpiece 502, with an outlet 548 of
the cup cover 504 aligning with a mouthpiece opening (not
illustrated). The cup cover 504 may be formed of a flexible or
deformable material, such as silicone.
[0175] In some implementations, the cup cover 504 partially
receives an upper portion of the heating coil 506 which is designed
to set within the cup 508. Thus, the cup cover 504 and cup 508 may
be formed of a similar or same heat resistant material, such as
silicone. The cup cover 504 may be frictionally retained on the cup
508 such that the cup cover 504 may be removed and replaced when
refilling the cup 508 with tobacco product.
[0176] The cup 508, in some implementations, is designed to connect
with the cup base 510. In other implementations, the cup 508 and
the cup base 510 are formed from a unitary piece of material. The
cup base 510, as illustrated, includes a set of outer openings
532a,b for receiving the magnets 512a,b as well as a set of inner
openings 534a,b for receiving the electrodes 514a,b. The cup base
510 may be formed of a rigid material, such as plastic. As
illustrated, the cup 508 and cup base 510 include corresponding
features (e.g., protrusions and detents) for connecting the cup
base 510 to the cup 508.
[0177] Turning to the electronics portion, in some implementations,
the magnets 512c and 512d are inserted into openings or depressions
(not illustrated) in the battery bracket 518. For mating with the
magnets 512a,b of the delivery portion upon assembly of the device
500. The battery bracket 518 includes an opening 540 to receive the
battery 520. In some implementations, electrical contacts 546a,546b
extend from the electronics 536 connected to the battery 520 to
physically interface with the electrodes 514a,514b of the delivery
portion upon assembly of the device 500.
[0178] In some implementations, a charging connector 538 connected
to the battery 520 is designed for insertion through a charging
connector opening 544 in the battery bracket 518. The charging
connector 538, for example, may be a universal serial bus (USB)
style charging connector, such as a mini-USB, micro-USB, or USB-C
connector for interfacing with a corresponding USB charging
port.
[0179] In some implementations, after inserting the battery 520
into the battery bracket 518, an activation control 542 of the
electronics 536 is arranged beneath an opening 530a of the battery
bracket 518. The activation control 542 may be activated through
actuation of a button situated over the activation control 542. As
illustrated, a button 524, button pad 526, and button guide 528 may
be installed within the opening 530a above the activation control
542. Each of the button 524, button pad 526, and button guide 528
may be composed of a polymer, such as a plastic. To activate the
device 500, the user may press and hold the button 524.
[0180] The battery bracket 518, in some implementations, is covered
by an electronics portion exterior body 522. The exterior body 522
includes a corresponding opening 530b to the opening 530a in the
battery bracket 518 to provide external access to the button 524.
The exterior body 522, in some embodiments, is composed of a
polymer material, such as plastic. In other embodiments, the
exterior body 522 is composed of a metal, such as aluminum. In
further embodiments, the exterior body 522 is composed of natural
material, such as wood or bamboo. The exterior body 522 may include
a decorative design.
[0181] Turning to FIG. 10B, in a second example device 550, in some
implementations, a movable floor 552 and advancement spring 554 are
positioned between the cup cover 504 and the cup base 510 to urge
tobacco product toward the heating element 506 while the tobacco
product is evaporated and/or burned during use. Initially, for
example, the advancement spring 554 may be fully compressed, with
the movable floor 552 positioned as close to the cup base 510 as
possible. Further to this example, tobacco product may fill the cup
508 from the movable floor 552 to the cup cover 504, at least
partially covering the coils of the heating element 506. As the
device 550 is used and the tobacco product diminishes, the force of
the spring 554 exceeds the force of the weight of the tobacco
product or otherwise urges the tobacco product toward the "ceiling"
of the cup enclosure (316 in FIG. 8B). The moveable floor 552 is
pushed upward toward the coils of the heating element 506, moving
the tobacco product closer to the coils of the heating element 506
and thereby encouraging consistent heating of tobacco product
within the cup 508 and more complete consumption of the tobacco
product (which may otherwise adhere to the walls of the cup
508).
[0182] In some embodiments, the movable floor 552 is composed of a
rigid material, such as a plastic. The movable floor 552 may be
composed of a rigid silicone, for example, for improved heat
resistance. In other embodiments, the movable floor 552 is composed
of a heat conducting material to improve heating of the tobacco
product from a lower region of the cup 508. For example, the
movable floor 552 may be composed of a metal such as aluminum.
[0183] The movable floor 552 includes a deformable edge or o-ring,
in some embodiments, to resist leakage of the tobacco product.
Further, the openings 556a,556b of the movable floor 552 may
include a deformable edge or o-ring to resist leakage along the
ends of the heating element 506.
[0184] To assemble the device 550, in some implementations, the
ends of the heating element 506 are inserted through openings 556a,
556b in the movable floor 552 and into the stems of the electrodes
514a, 514b. In other implementations, turning to FIG. 10C, rather
than the heating element 506 extending through the openings 556a,
556b of the movable floor 552 to connect with electrodes 514a,b, a
wrap-around heating element 562 may be provided to extend around
the edges of a movable floor 564 and connect into a set of L-shaped
stems of electrodes 566a, 566b
[0185] In some implementations, rather than a horizontally
positioned heating coil, the heating coil may be vertically
oriented. Turning to FIG. 10D, for example, an example electronic
tobacco delivery device 570 includes a vertical heating coil 572
provided between the cup cover 504 and the cup base 510. The ends
of the heating coil 572, as illustrated, are designed to be
assembled through the openings 556a, 556b of the movable floor 552
and into the electrodes 514a,b. In other embodiments (not
illustrated), the movable floor 552 and spring element 554 may be
removed. The vertical heating coil 572, for example, may be
positioned to heat a greater surface area of the suspension mixture
in the cup 508 without need for urging the suspension mixture
toward the heating coil 572. In illustration, the vertical heating
coil 572 may replace the heating coil 506 in the electronic tobacco
delivery device 500 of FIG. 10A.
[0186] In some implementations, rather than a moveable floor
applying spring-loaded pressure to move the tobacco product closer
to the coils of the heating element as depicted in FIG. 10B,
moveable walls or spring-loaded push boards may be used to apply
lateral pressure to the tobacco product or otherwise urge the
tobacco product toward the heating element. Having fully described
FIG. 10B, only differences between FIG. 10B and FIG. 10E will be
discussed hereafter. Turning to FIG. 10E, for example, lateral push
boards 550 are positioned within cup 508 along the walls of the cup
that include apertures 554. The springs 552 are positioned within
apertures 554 and, when base unit 510 and cup 508 are installed
within mouthpiece 502, the springs are compressed between the wall
of mouthpiece 502 and push boards 550. The springs 552 urge each
push board 550 toward the heating element 506. After being loaded
with tobacco product, for example, the advancement springs 552 may
be in a fully compressed position and the push boards 550 may be in
contact with the interior walls of cup, effectively covering and
closing apertures 554. As the device 580 is used and the tobacco
product is consumed, the force of springs 552 apply pressure to the
push boards and urge the remaining tobacco product into contact
with the heating element. In some implementations, the push boards
550 are formed from a generally rigid material, such as a heat
resistant polymer or metal.
[0187] FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate example cup designs and
corresponding cap designs for holding a suspension mixture
including tobacco or other plant substance mixed with a suspension
liquid. The cup and cap designs, for example, may be used in an
electronic tobacco delivery device such as the device 300 of FIG.
8A, the device 400 of FIG. 9A, or the device 450 of FIG. 9C.
Turning to FIG. 11A, a cup 600 is illustrated with corresponding
cap 610. The cup 600, for example, may correspond to the cup 508 of
FIGS. 10A-10E, while the cap 610 may correspond to the cup cover
504 of FIGS. 10A-10D. The cup 600, for example, may be designed to
mate with a cup base that includes electrode connections for
supplying electrical current to a heating element, such as the cup
base 510 of FIGS. 10A-10E. The cup 600, for example, includes
notches 602 for mating with corresponding notches in a cup base.
The cup 600 is shaped to be wider at a central region and narrower
along the edges, for example, to provide for greater volume of the
suspension mixture surrounding the heating element (not
illustrated) centrally located within an interior 606 of the cup
600.
[0188] The cup 600, in some implementations, includes one or more
raised members 604 (e.g., ridges) encircling the exterior of the
cup 600. The raised members 604 may provide a seal between the cup
wall that the adjacent surface of the disposable mouthpiece unit
302, 402, 502. The cups described herein are preferably provided
with a bottom surface or floor such that the cups are able to
contain liquid secreted from the tobacco product without relying on
a seal that is formed between the cup wall and base. In such
embodiments, small apertures are provided in the cup floor to allow
the wires of the heating element to extend therethrough in a
watertight fashion.
[0189] In some implementations, the upper rim of cup 600 mates with
the cap 610 to retain the suspension mixture within the interior
606 of the cup 600. The cap 610 includes an outlet 612 (e.g., such
as the outlet 548 of the cup cover 504 of FIGS. 10A-C) to direct
smoke or vapor from heating the suspension mixture to a mouthpiece
of the electronic tobacco delivery device. The outlet 612, in some
embodiments, includes a raised surface 616 that may mate with an
outlet of the mouthpiece (not illustrated) of the electronic
tobacco delivery device. Further, in some embodiments, the cap 610
includes an inlet 614 for directing air flow into the cup interior
606.
[0190] Turning to FIG. 11B, a cup 620 is illustrated with
corresponding cap 630. The cup 620 may be designed to mate with a
cup base including electrode connections for supplying electrical
current to a heating element, such as the cup base 510 of FIGS.
10A-10E. The cup 620, for example, may include notches such as a
notch 622 for mating with corresponding notches in a cup base.
[0191] The cup 620, in some implementations, includes one or more
raised members 624 (e.g., ridges) encircling the exterior of the
cup 620. The raised members 624, for example, may provide a seal
against the adjacent surface of the mouthpiece housing 302, 402,
502.
[0192] In some implementations, the cup 620 mates with the cap 630
to retain the suspension mixture within the interior 626 of the cup
620. The cap 630 includes an outlet 632 (e.g., such as the outlet
548 of the cup cover 504 of FIGS. 10A-10C) to direct smoke or vapor
from heating the suspension mixture to a mouthpiece of the
electronic tobacco delivery device. The outlet 632, in some
embodiments, includes a raised surface 636 that may mate with an
outlet of the mouthpiece (not illustrated) of the electronic
tobacco delivery device. Further, in some embodiments, the cap 630
includes an inlet 634 for directing air flow into the cup interior
626.
[0193] FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded view of example components
of an electronic tobacco delivery device 700 having a battery 712.
The electronic tobacco delivery device 700, in some
implementations, includes a mouthpiece 702, a cup cover 704, a
heating coil 706, a housing 708, a housing base 710, a battery 712
connectable to conductor elements or harness 714, a base 716, a
housing 718, chip 728 and an exterior tip 720. The electronic
tobacco delivery device 700, for example, may be disposed after use
and may be enclosed with an outer housing or cover such that device
700 has an overall appearance similar to a cigarette. In this
implementation, the entire device 700 is disposable.
[0194] In other implementations, a portion of the tobacco delivery
device 700 may serve as a rechargeable and reusable body portion.
For instance, the portion of tobacco delivery device 700 comprising
elements 720, 718, 716, 712, 726a, 726b, 714, and 728 may comprise
a reusable base unit similar in principle to body portion 304
described above and the remaining components may combine to form a
disposable mouthpiece unit similar in principle to delivery unit
302 described above. In such embodiments, the reusable base unit
and disposable mouthpiece or delivery unit may be connectable and
detachable by a user via the means discussed above including, for
example, magnetic means. The reusable base unit of tobacco delivery
device 700 may be recharged by the user by connecting to, for
example, a universal serial bus (USB) style charging connector,
such as a mini-USB, micro-USB, or USB-C connector for interfacing
with a corresponding USB charging port. Alternatively, the device
700 may be configured with a removable cap element (not shown) to
permit removal and reinstallation of a traditional battery, such as
a AAA battery.
[0195] The disposable mouthpiece unit of tobacco delivery device
700 may comprise elements 710, 706, 708, 704, 702, 722, and 724.
The disposable mouthpiece unit may be attached to the reusable
electronics or base unit via a magnetic coupling that cooperates
with mating collar elements on the two units that ensure that the
units are held together securely enough to remain intact during
normal use.
[0196] The structure and operation of device 700 will now be
described in more detail. The mouthpiece 702 is formed from a
generally rigid material, such as a polymer. The cup cover 704 is
configured for insertion into a bottom portion of the mouthpiece
702, with an outlet 724 of the cup cover 704 aligning with a
mouthpiece opening 722. Current is provided to the heating element
706 by battery 712 through contacts 726a,b. The application of
current from the battery to the heating element is controlled by
chip 728 through connector harness 714. In some implementations,
there may be a void or space that is occupied by air at the distal
end of device 700, near tip 720. Cylindrical housing 718 is
connected to base 710 at the proximal end of the housing 718,
optionally in a releasable manner described above.
[0197] In some implementations, there are openings or grooves in
tip 720 through which air is drawn by inhalation by the user. Drawn
by negative pressure applied to mouthpiece 702, this air passes
through apertures 734 in element 716 and then along a gap between
the interior walls of cylindrical housing 718 and the battery 712.
The air flows through the grooves in the bottom of base 710 and to
the proximal side of base unit through apertures or grooves (not
shown). The air then flows then along four channels 736 each formed
by the housing 708, the outer surface of deformable cup 730, and
rib members 732 of the deformable cup 730. The air then flows
through the grooves in the bottom of cover 704 and across the top
of the heating element 706. The aerosolization of the tobacco
product loaded into cup 730 occurs in substantially the same manner
described in detail above. The air and aerosolized tobacco product
passes through apertures 724 and 722 and into the mouth of the
user.
[0198] Optionally base 716 may be equipped with an LED that
illuminates when triggered by a pressure sensor (not shown)
disposed within cup 708 or mouthpiece 702. Optionally body 718 may
be equipped with an LED that illuminates when inhalation by the
user generates negative pressure within the device. The pressure
sensor may be conveniently located on element 716, proximate
control circuit element 783. In some implementations, light from an
LED within base 716 is transmitted through cylindrical body 718 to
an optionally transparent or translucent cap 720. In this manner,
during inhalation, the end cap 720 may glow red with the light
emitted by the LED to simulate a traditional cigarette.
[0199] FIG. 13 illustrates yet another disposable mouthpiece unit
for use in a portable electronic tobacco delivery device.
Disposable mouthpiece unit 800, in some implementations, comprises
flexible cup element 802, porous filter elements 803, heating
element 804, flow channel 805, aperture 806, and aperture 807. The
depicted lower assembly comprising elements 803, 804, and 805 is
inserted into the upper assembly comprising elements 802, 806, and
807 such that the enclosure surrounding filter 803 seals against
the inwardly projecting ribs of cup 802. Flexible cup element 802
may be filled with tobacco product e.g., a suspension mixture
including tobacco or other plant substance mixed with a suspension
liquid, as described above.
[0200] Upon application of negative pressure to aperture 807 by
inhalation by the user, air is drawn into device 800 through
aperture 806, passing through channel 805. Concurrent with
inhalation by the user, electricity is delivered to heating element
804 as described above. The negative pressure within the device
generated by inhalation by the user draws liquid out of the tobacco
product contained within flexible cup element 802 and into porous
filter element 803 and into intimate contact with heating element
804. The liquid bears volatile compounds derived from the tobacco
product, which may be aerosolized when heated by contact with
heating element 804 and carried through channel 805 and aperture
807 to the mouth of the user.
[0201] In this embodiment, the solid tobacco product is not brought
into contact with the heating element, but rather only the liquid
component of the tobacco product mixture. This liquid component
saturates the filter element 803 and surrounds the heating element.
As described below, in certain experiments this design smothered
the heating element and prevented effective aerosolization of the
liquid portion of the tobacco product.
[0202] FIG. 14 depicts a tobacco delivery device 900 substantially
as shown and described above in connection with FIGS. 8A-8D. The
delivery device 900 includes a disposable mouthpiece unit 901, a
reusable body unit 802, a top cap 904 and a bottom cap 903. The cap
904 may be constructed of a flexible polymeric material and include
a plug element that is configured to seal the inhalation port 328
in the mouthpiece 904. This may prevent a liquid portion of the
tobacco product from exiting through that port when, for instance,
the device 900 is carried in a pocket in an inverted orientation.
The cap 903 may protect the electrical charging components at the
distal end of the body portion 902. Each of the disposable
mouthpiece units 901 may be equipped with a cap 904 at the time of
manufacture to prevent leakage of the liquid portion of the tobacco
product during shipment and storage. The cap 904 may advantageously
also cover and optionally provide a plug (not shown) for the inlet
330. Provision of this plug has the additional benefit of holding
the cap 904 in place and preventing it from sliding off mouthpiece
unit 901 in an unintended manner.
[0203] Certain teachings herein may be adaptable to substances
other than tobacco, which have similar properties such as being
plant based, having leaves capable of being processed in the manner
described herein and used in combination with a portable electronic
delivery system.
[0204] As various changes may be made in the above-described
subject matter without departing from the scope and the spirit of
the invention, it is intended that all subject matter contained in
the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, will
be interpreted as descriptive and illustrative, and not in a
limiting sense.
EXAMPLES
Comparative Example 1
[0205] Organic pasteurized tobacco leaves were heated at a pressure
of 5-20 atmospheres in the presence of distilled, purified or tap
water at a temperature of 85.degree. C.-100.degree. C. for a
duration of 5-60 minutes optionally with low speed mixing (10-100
rpm). Thereafter the tobacco product was removed from the water
bath dried, optionally under radiant heat for one hour. The product
was then cut or ground into strips or pieces having a largest
dimension of 50 to 2,000 microns, or more preferably 100 to 1,000
microns. The cut or ground tobacco and/or herb product was combined
with the water in which the tobacco and/or herb product was mixed
ground tobacco product about 1:1 by weight with glycerin and
allowed to sit for one hour. The viscosity of the resulting tobacco
product was approximately 20,000 to 40,000 cp.
[0206] 2 to 2.5 g of wet tobacco product was placed in cup 802 of
the device 800 of FIG. 13. A filter 803 was positioned between the
tobacco product and the heating element 804. Air was drawn in
through inlet 806 and across filter element through channel 805.
Air was exhausted and inhaled through port 807. Otherwise the
device operated in a manner similar to that described above.
[0207] The device yielded 0-5 puffs, after which the device ceased
to produce additional puffs from the dose of the tobacco
product.
Example 2
[0208] Organic pasteurized tobacco leaves were heated at a pressure
of 5-20 atmospheres in the presence of distilled, purified or tap
water at a temperature of 85-100.degree. C. for a duration of 5-60
minutes optionally with low speed mixing (10-100 rpm). Thereafter
the tobacco product was removed from the water bath dried,
optionally under radiant heat for one hour. The product was then
cut or ground into strips or pieces having a largest dimension of
50 to 2,000 microns, or more preferably 100 to 1,000 microns. The
cut or ground tobacco and/or herb product was combined with the
water in which the tobacco and/or herb product was mixed ground
tobacco product about 1:1 by weight with glycerin and allowed to
sit for one hour. The viscosity of the resulting tobacco product
was approximately 20,000 to 40,000 cp.
[0209] 2 to 2.5 g of wet tobacco product was placed in cup 312 of
the device 300 of FIGS. 8A-8D. The device was operated in the
manner described above in connection with that embodiment.
[0210] The device yielded 20-30 puffs of rich, aerosolized vapor
that simulated the taste and user experience associated with
smoking a traditional tobacco product.
Example 3
[0211] Organic pasteurized tobacco leaves were heated at a pressure
of 5-20 atmospheres in the presence of distilled, purified or tap
water at a temperature of 85-100.degree. C. for a duration of 5-60
minutes optionally with low speed mixing (10-100 rpm). Thereafter
the tobacco product was removed from the water bath dried,
optionally under radiant heat for one hour. The product was then
cut or ground into strips or pieces having a largest dimension of
50 to 2,000 microns, or more preferably 100 to 1,000 microns. The
cut or ground tobacco and/or herb product was combined with the
water in which the tobacco and/or herb product was mixed ground
tobacco product about 1:1 by weight with glycerin and allowed to
sit for one hour. The viscosity of the resulting tobacco product
was approximately 20,000 to 40,000 cp.
[0212] 2.3 g of wet tobacco product was placed in cup of the device
400 of FIGS. 9A-9D. The device was operated in the manner described
above in connection with that embodiment.
[0213] The device yielded 235 puffs of rich, aerosolized vapor that
simulated the taste and user experience associated with smoking a
traditional tobacco product. That is greater than an order of
magnitude more puffs per pod or dose than provided by IQOS or a
regular cigarette (10-14 puffs).
[0214] This system generated about 100 puffs per gram of tobacco
product, substantially higher than IQOS, which produces about 30-47
puffs per gram of tobacco product (10-14 puffs for 0.3 grams of
tobacco product per Heatstick).
Example 4
[0215] Organic pasteurized tobacco leaves are heated at a pressure
of 5-20 atmospheres in the presence of distilled, purified or tap
water at a temperature of 85-100.degree. C. for a duration of 5-60
minutes optionally with low speed mixing (10-100 rpm). Thereafter
the tobacco product is removed from the water bath dried,
optionally under radiant heat for one hour. The product is then cut
or ground into strips or pieces having a largest dimension of 50 to
2,000 microns, or more preferably 100 to 1,000 microns. The cut or
ground tobacco and/or herb product is combined with the water in
which the tobacco and/or herb product was mixed ground tobacco
product about 1:1 by weight with glycerin and allowed to sit for
one hour. The viscosity of the resulting tobacco product is
approximately 20,000 to 40,000 cp.
[0216] 1.3 g of wet tobacco product was placed in cup of the device
500 of FIGS. 10A-10E. The device was operated in the manner
described above in connection with that embodiment.
[0217] The device yielded 155 puffs of rich, aerosolized vapor that
simulated the taste and user experience associated with smoking a
traditional tobacco product. That is about an order of magnitude
more puffs per dose than provide by IQOS or a regular cigarette
(10-14 puffs).
[0218] This system generated about 120 puffs per gram of tobacco
product, substantially higher than IQOS, which produces about 30-47
puffs per gram of tobacco product (10-14 puffs for 0.3 grams of
tobacco product per Heatstick).
Example 5
[0219] A smoke test was performed with twenty-one participants,
none of whom was aware of any affiliation between the test
administrator and any device. The participants were asked to use
both the IQOS device and the device of Example 4. Each participant
puffed the devices for at least 10-14 puffs each, which in the case
of the IQOS product consumed the entire Heatstick. The participants
were asked to rate each product on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being worst
or most negative and 5 being best or most positive. The results are
presented below and are consistent with those observed in each of
several previous smoke tests conducted by independent third
parties.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Do you like Would you use the taste? this
product? Ease of Use Parti- Example Example Example cipant IQOS 4
IQOS 4 IQOS 4 1 1 4 1 4 1 4 2 1 4 1 4 1 5 3 2 5 2 4 2 5 4 1 4 1 4 1
5 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 6 1 5 1 5 1 5 7 1 4 1 5 1 5 8 1 4 1 5 1 5 9 1 5 1 5
1 5 10 1 5 1 4 1 5 11 2 4 1 3 1 5 12 1 5 1 5 1 5 13 2 5 1 4 1 5 14
2 5 1 5 1 5 15 1 5 1 4 1 5 16 2 5 1 4 1 5 17 1 5 1 4 1 5 18 1 5 1 4
1 5 19 2 3 1 4 1 5 20 1 5 1 5 1 5 21 1 4 1 5 1 5 Average 1.29 4.57
1.05 4.38 1.05 4.95
[0220] The data shows that the product of Example 4 was deemed to
provide far improved taste and ease of use. As to taste, on a scale
of 1 to 5 (5 being best) IQOS received a rating of 1.29 (1 being
worst) and the product of Example 4 was given a rating of 4.57 (5
being best). For ease of use, IQOS received a rating of 1.05
compared to 4.95 for the embodiment of Example 4.
[0221] The tobacco product of Example 4 is aerosolized at
comparatively low temperature, on the order of 75-125.degree. C.,
which reduces HPHCs four to six times or more relative to
conventional heat-not-burn products such as IQOS. A reduction of 4,
5 or 6 times would be achieved even if the product of Example 4
used a tobacco product containing the same array of synthetic
ingredients added to the IQOS Heatstick. However, product of
Example 4 uses a simple, organic recipe consisting of just three
ingredients: about 65-75% glycerin, about 5-15% water, and about
20% organic tobacco. The product of Example 4 thus produces fewer
products of unknown toxicity as compared to IQOS. Those products
yield acetals that are typically produced when the flavorants and
propylene glycol, both of which are present in IQOS Heatsticks, are
heated while in the same mixture. The overall reduction of harmful
effluents is reduced 7, 8, 9 or 10 times relative to IQOS.
[0222] The product of Example 4 is also substantially less
complicated and expensive to manufacture than IQOS and other
conventional heat-not-burn products. Manufacturing an IQOS
Heatstick is a multi-step process that involves an expensive and
relatively large manufacturing facility. By contrast, the process
of preparing the composition of the exemplified embodiments merely
involves the high-pressure heating of tobacco product followed by
drying, grinding and combining the ground tobacco product about 1:1
by weight with glycerin, after which the tobacco product is added
to the pod.
[0223] In another aspect, the products exemplified herein are
believed to be the first to achieve acceptable aerosolization and
taste without propylene glycol or an auxiliary moisture water or
vapor source. As discussed above, conventional heat-not-burn
products that use real tobacco rely upon propylene glycol or an
additional source of water vapor to provide an enhanced user taste
and experience. The product of Example 4, for example, avoids the
adverse effects of propylene glycol such as the formation of
acetals in the presence of common flavorants and the complexity and
expense of providing an auxiliary source of water vapor.
[0224] Yet another advantage of certain of the embodiments
exemplified herein is that the tobacco product contained in the
disposable mouthpiece unit may be aerosolized or "consumed" over a
number of smoking sessions separated by hours or even days. As
noted above, conventional heat-not-burn tobacco products provide
mini-cigarettes such as IQOS and GLO must be used in one sitting or
smoking session, potentially because the dry tobacco product is
carbonized after heating and not thereafter suitable for reheating
in another smoking session. The embodiments exemplified herein
advantageously need not be consumed all in one smoking session,
potentially because the wet tobacco product composition and the
dual mechanism of action substantially prevent carbonization of the
wet tobacco product. In various embodiments, a user may consume a
single disposable unit or pod over 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 smoking sessions each
separated by at least 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, 180, 360, or 720 minutes
or values therebetween. A user of the exemplified embodiments thus
may use a single disposable unit over, for instance, around ten
smoking sessions spaced over many hours or even days.
[0225] In yet another aspect, in contrast to conventional vaping
products, the aerosolized product is real tobacco and contains no
added nicotine. That avoids the increased risk of addiction and
short-term health effects reported in connection with modern vaping
devices.
[0226] The forgoing general description of the illustrative
implementations and the following detailed description thereof are
merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure and
are not restrictive. As noted above, certain embodiments within the
scope of this disclosure and the claims may not provide the
particular advantages set forth above. That said, the most
preferred embodiments provide many, most or all of the foregoing
advantages relative to conventional heat-not-burn and vaping
devices.
[0227] While certain embodiments have been described, these
embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not
intended to limit the scope of the present disclosures.
[0228] Indeed, the novel methods, apparatuses and systems described
herein can be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore,
various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the
methods, apparatuses and systems described herein can be made
without departing from the spirit of the present disclosures. The
accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover
such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and
spirit of the present disclosures.
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